Senior Research Scientist

Michael joined IHMC as a Senior Research Scientist in April 2024 after a career in academia. He most recently served as El Pomar Chair of Engineering and Innovation at the University of Colorado. Prior to that Michael was a professor of mechanical engineering at Tulane University. He began his professional career as an officer and engineer in the U.S. Air Force. His entrepreneurial experience over the last twenty years includes founding and running four commercial medical and consumer product startups.

Michael is an inventor and holds more than ten U.S. and foreign patents. These include a surgical device using lasers to fuse biological tissue as an alternative to sutures or staples in wound closure, a wearable device to improve sleep quality, and an award-winning laser board game.

Michael earned his PhD from MIT, his MS from the University of Michigan, and his BS from Tulane, all in mechanical engineering.