Abstract
In this episode of The Professor Podcast, mechanical engineering professor Thomas Secord shares his background in robotics, controls, and medical device engineering, including past work at Medtronic and research training at MIT. He discusses his current NSF-funded project on adaptive building facades that improve energy efficiency through reconfigurable, motion-based designs. Secord explains how his lab combines simulation tools and physical prototypes, often involving undergraduate students, and highlights the challenges and benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration. He also reflects on differences between academic and industry research, the potential for commercialization, and the growing—but still evolving—role of AI in engineering. For more information visit the Secord Lab for Biomedical Robotics and Mechatronics.