Open Positions

The Utah Wearable Robotics Laboratory constantly seeks motivated students to contribute to our mission. Please refer to the Opportunities page for more information.

Current Members

Haohan Zhang
Principal Investigator
Email: haohan.zhang@utah.edu

Google Scholar Page

Haohan Zhang is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah and a Core Faculty in the University of Utah Robotics Center. Prior to joining the U, he was a postdoctoral research scientist in the Robotics and Rehabilitation (ROAR) Laboratory at Columbia University. He received his PhD, MS, and BE degrees from Columbia University, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Dalian University of Technology, respectively.

Ian Bales
PhD Student
Email: ian.bales@utah.edu

Ian is a mechanical engineering PhD student at the University of Utah. He graduated with a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois with a minor in mathematics. He is currently working on a novel cable-actuated robotic neck exoskeleton. Ian is originally from Downers Grove, Illinois, and he spends his free time climbing, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Colin Rubow
PhD Student
Email: colin.rubow@utah.edu

Colin is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student at the University of Utah. He graduated from BYU with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and minors in mathematics and computer science. Originally from west Provo Utah, he is married to Sidsie Rubow and has two sons Gardner and Euler. Hobbies include piano, organ, chess, literature, and historical mathematics in connection with his YouTube channel MathWorksWorks.

Joey Brignone
PhD Student
Email: joseph.brignone@utah.edu

Joey is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student. He graduated from the University of Utah with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a minor in Italian. Currently, he is researching the applications of granular jamming in wearable robotics. Outside the lab, he enjoys a good volleyball game, getting outdoors, 3D printing, and trying new food.

Ana Alvarez Lopez
PhD Student
Email: ana.alvarez@utah.edu

Ana is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student. She graduated with a BS in Industrial Technologies Engineering from the University of Oviedo. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research in Biomechanics and interned at a Robotics company. Ana is originally from Gijon, Spain and in her free time she enjoys climbing, skiing, surfing and cooking.

Robert Macdonald
PhD Student
Email: robert.macdonald@utah.edu

Robert is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student. He graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Brigham Young University. He is researching linear springs with multiple degrees of freedom as well as surgical neck traction robots. He enjoys his free time cooking, weightlifting, playing sports, reading, and spending time with friends.

Claudia Diez
PhD Student
Email: claudia.diez.marti@utah.edu

Claudia is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student. She is from Barcelona (Spain) and graduated with a BS in Biomedical Engineering from Hawaii Pacific University. She previously interned at a clinical biomechanics lab specialized in work-related injuries, while also conducting biomechanics research at her last institution. Outside of the lab, she enjoys playing basketball, getting outdoors, and travelling.

Gyllian Sampson
Undergraduate Student

Gyllian is a junior in Biomedical Engineering, and she plans to work on lower limb prosthetics after graduation. She enjoys reading, wheel pottery, and playing with her cats.

Timothy Zimine
Undergraduate Student

Timothy is a senior in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah. He previously interned in the semiconductor manufacturing industry and recently studied abroad in South Korea. In his free time he enjoys travelling to new places, motorsports, and exploring the outdoors.

Duc Nam Nguyen
Undergraduate Student

Nam is a transfer student from Washington State, now a sophomore at the University of Utah, majoring in Computer Science. His primary focus is on Machine Learning, particularly computer vision. In his free time, he enjoys chatting with friends, training models, and traveling. His favorite place so far has been Seattle.

Graduates

Adam Reinch, Master's Thesis, 8/2023-5/2025

Kimia Khoshnami, Master's Thesis, 8/2023-5/2025

Logan Lancaster, Master's Thesis, 8/2023-5/2025

David Demaree, Master's Thesis, 8/2021 - 8/2023

Emma Pinegar, MS non-thesis, 1/2022 - 8/2022

Minhong Kim, Underdraduate Assistant (SPUR recipient), Summer 2025

Teagan Matthews, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), Fall 2024, Spring 2025

Mary Clancy, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), Spring and Summer 2025

Ashley Howell, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), Fall 2024

Taiji Harada, Undergraduate Assistant, Summer 2024

John Cimarusti, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), 1/2024 - 5/2024

Tristan Archuleta, Undergraduate Assistant (OUR small grant recipient), Spring 2023

Zach Olsen, Undergraduate Assistant (SPUR recipient), Summer 2023

Kin Blandford, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), Summer 2023

Jose Tello, Undergraduate Assistant (PIVOT Ascender Grant recipient), Summer 2023

Insa Norcross, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP recipient), Spring 2022

Jake Hirst, Undergraduate Assistant (UROP and SPUR recipient), Spring and Summer 2022

Gonzalo Tello, Undergraduate Assistant (OUR Small grant recipient), Summer 2022