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About

Paul L. McEuen is a pioneering physicist and nanotechnologist whose research has fundamentally advanced the fields of microscale robotics, 2D materials, and nanofabrication. Best known for his groundbreaking work on graphene-based mechanical systems, McEuen's highly cited paper on "Graphene kirigami" (2015, 877 citations) demonstrated how atomic-scale sheets could be sculpted into functional mechanical structures, opening entirely new design possibilities at the nanoscale. Building on this foundation, he has led transformative efforts in microscopic robotics, co-developing electronically integrated, mass-manufactured microscopic robots (2020, 344 citations) small enough to be injected through a hypodermic needle yet capable of onboard computation and actuation. His laboratory has pioneered origami- and kirigami-inspired fabrication techniques using graphene bimorphs and atomic layer deposition to create autonomous folding machines at the micron scale. More recently, McEuen's group has pushed boundaries further with digitally controlled microrobots, shape-memory actuators, and magnetically programmable diffractive systems operating at the visible-light diffraction limit. Collectively, his work envisions a future where microscopic autonomous machines revolutionize medicine, materials science, and beyond, earning him recognition as one of the most creative and impactful figures in modern nanoscience.