Kevin Chen

Kevin (YuFeng) Chen is an Associate Professor without tenure (AWOT) in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, where he leads a research group focused on soft robotic systems and insect-scale aerial robots. His work integrates principles from material science, bio-inspired engineering, high-bandwidth actuation, and multimodal locomotion to develop agile, robust, and multifunctional micro–aerial robots capable of complex maneuvers such as hovering, acrobatics, hybrid jumping–flying transitions, and autonomous exploration. Before joining MIT, Chen received his PhD in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree in Applied and Engineering Physics from Cornell University. His contributions span soft actuators, triboelectric power systems, insect-scale robot design, and deep reinforcement learning for flight control. Chen is widely recognized through awards including the NSF CAREER Award, the Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, the Toshio Fukuda Young Professional Award, multiple best paper awards, and the Steven Vogel Young Investigator Award. His lab collaborates across disciplines to advance the frontiers of microrobotics, soft actuation, and autonomous aerial systems.