Currently, the fall 2025 admissions period for PhD graduate students is underway, and applications are no longer open for review. The lab currently does not have any available postdoctoral positions. However, we are happy to work with undergraduate students from any major in CEMS or the Biological Sciences interested in our research!
If you’re a UVM student interested in getting involved, please reach out to PI Laura Treers – laura.treers@uvm.edu
Meet our Team
Laura Treers
Assistant Professor

Email: laura.treers@uvm.edu
Education: Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, 2023, UC Berkeley;
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, 2018, MIT
Chhayank Srivastava
PhD Student

Email: csrivast@uvm.edu
Education: M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech; B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University Research Interests: Modeling and controls for robotic interaction with grains
Jack Donovan
Undergraduate, Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Honors college thesis student Research Interests: Mechanism
design for compliant burrowing appendages
Nate Weitzel-King
Undergraduate, Freshman
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Research interests: Soft robot fabrication techniques, collective behavior
Aspen Overy
Undergraduate, Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests: Entangled granular media
Adam Boyle
Undergraduate, Junior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests: Robotic construction with cohesive media
Zach Haimes
Undergraduate, Junior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Research Interests: Fluidizing granular bed design
Mariana Kugell
Undergraduate, Junior
Major: Biology
Research Interests: Biological nest construction