Biography

Dr. Parsaoran Hutapea is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Temple University and a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). He earned his BS, MS, and PhD in Aerospace Engineering from North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. Hutapea’s research focuses on the mechanics and design of medical devices, with an emphasis on understanding how materials interact in biomedical applications. His work has been supported by a wide range of private, state, and federal agencies. Currently, his research is funded by the Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation, where he investigates the mechanics of surgical needle–tissue interactions in soft materials. He is the Director of the Composites Laboratory, where his team conducts cutting-edge research at the intersection of mechanics, materials, and biomedical engineering.