Nana Obayashi wins prestigious Amelia Earhart Fellowship

The Amelia Earhart Fellowship, established in 1938, is an internationally renowned award granted annually to up to 30 women by Zonta International. Named after the legendary aviator, the $10,000 fellowship is designed to support and encourage women pursuing advanced studies in aerospace-related fields.

Nana Obayashi is a PhD candidate in robotics in the Computational Robot Design and Fabrication Lab (CREATE), led by Josie Hughes. Obayashi's research on intelligent soft robot morphologies and design methodologies holds significant implications for aerospace engineering. By focusing on morphing, reconfigurable, and adaptable structures, her work aligns with the dynamic requirements of aerospace technology, aiding in the development of systems that can alter configurations based on changing conditions. The compliance and safety features that are inherent in soft robotics approaches are advantageous for human collaboration in space environments. She is also intrigued by the potential for soft robots to enhance human-robot interaction, providing companionship and mutual learning, and investigating robot aesthetics to improve user acceptance and interaction for both functional and entertainment purposes.

Outside of research, Obayashi is a student representative on the IEEE Technical Committee for Soft Robotics. She also led the organization of a workshop for further democratizing soft robotics research. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, after which she worked as an aerodynamics engineer in the automotive and aviation industries. Her hobbies include classical ballet, Japanese tea ceremony, and Japanese Kimono dressing. She is also an instrument-rated private pilot and dreams of flying seaplanes someday.