Carol Livermore
Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Operations, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Affiliated Faculty, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Office
- 303 DA
- 617.373.4922
Lab
- 258 EC
- 617.373.2048
Related Links
Research Focus
MEMS-enabled actuator systems (assistive technologies, energy harvesting, and flow control); origami-enabled microfluidics and tissue engineering; carbon nanomaterials
Education
- PhD (1998), Physics, Harvard University
- MA (1995), Physics, Harvard University
- BS (1993), Physics, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Honors & Awards
- Northeastern University Søren Buus Outstanding Research Award (2021)
- Northeastern University College of Engineering Faculty Fellow (2016)
- Keenan Award for Innovation in Undergraduate Education (2012), Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
- Best Student Paper – Oral (with Feras Eid) (2009), PowerMEMS 2009
- Ruth and Joel Spira Award for Distinguished Teaching (2007), Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
- NSF CAREER Award (2007)
Teaching Interests
- Solid mechanics – mechanics of materials
- Microelectromechanical systems
- Senior capstone design
Leadership Positions
Assistant Chair for Operations, MIE
Professional Affiliations
- American Society for Engineering Education
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers
- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Research Overview
MEMS-enabled actuator systems (assistive technologies, energy harvesting, and flow control); origami-enabled microfluidics and tissue engineering; carbon nanomaterials
Micropower and Nanoengineering Laboratory
Our research focuses on creating new microscale and nanoscale systems to meet urgent technical and societal challenges, and on creating the manufacturing innovations that make these new systems possible. Our first research thrust targets the need for biomimetic organs-on-a-chip to advance personalized medicine. In this area, we are employing origami-based manufacturing strategies to mimic complex 3D tissue structure and function in a multi-functional but simple-to-fabricate microfluidic platform. A second thrust focuses on the need to combine structural stiffness and strength with effective damping for aerospace, personal protection, and other systems. To address this challenge, we are creating and demonstrating new classes of lightweight, high-strength, viscoelastic, carbon-based nanomaterials. Our third thrust focuses on creating actuators that are compact but powerful enough for use in human-scale applications (assistive technologies, flow control, energy harvesting, etc.) In this area, we are combining the precision of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) with the high forces and displacements of macroscale actuation to create for example tactile displays enabled by motion amplifiers and electrically-controlled fluid actuation.
Research Centers and Institutes
Affiliated: SMART Center, Institute for Chemical Imaging of Living Systems (CILS)
Selected Publications
- Karimi, Majid Bigdeli, Xie, Xin, Livermore, Carol (2020). Acoustic Control of Directed Assembly in Microfluidic Devices. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems, 29(5),1100-1102. 10.1109/JMEMS.2020.3007124
- Xie, Xin, Maharjan, Sushila, Liu, Sanwei, Zhang, Yu Shrike, Livermore, Carol (2019). A Modular, Reconfigurable Microfabricated Assembly Platform for Microfluidic Transport and Multitype Cell Culture and Drug Testing. Micromachines, 11(1),2. 10.3390/MI11010002
- Xie, X., Bigdeli Karimi, M., Liu, S., Myanganbayar, B., & Livermore, C. (2018). Micro Motion Amplifiers for Compact Out-of-Plane Actuation. Micromachines, 9(7), 365-. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/mi9070365
- Xie, X., Kelly, C., Liu, T., Lang, R., Gandolfo, S., Boukataya, Y., Livermore, C. (2018). ORIGAMI-ENABLED MICROFLUIDICS. Solid-State, Actuators, and Microsystems Workshop Technical Digest. http://dx.doi.org/10.31438/TRF.HH2018.108
- X. Xie, C. Livermore, Passively Self-Aligned Assembly of Compact Barrel Hinges for High-performance, Out-of-Plane MEMS Actuators, IEEE 30th International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems, 2017, 813-816
- C. Yang, X. Xie, S. Liu, C. Livermore, Resealable, Ultra-Low Leak Micro Valve Using Liquid Surface Tension Sealing for Vacuum Applications, Proceedings of Transducers, 2017, 2071-2074
- Yang, C., S. Liu, X. Xie, and C. Livermore. Compact, planar, translational piezoelectric bimorph actuator with Archimedes’ spiral actuating tethers. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering 26, No. 12 (2016): 124005.
Apr 26, 2021
Congratulations RISE: 2021 Winners
Congratulations to our engineering students who won awards at the RISE:2021 Research, Innovation and Scholarship Expo!
Feb 26, 2018
You made WHAT last summer?
Two students from a Center for STEM Education summer program were featured in NSF’s tumblr post “You made WHAT last summer?” about their work in MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore’s lab.
Feb 07, 2018
ApreX Biotech Spinoff Uses Origami for Drug Development
MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore's new spinoff company ApreX Biotech is using origami techniques to mimic tissues in the human body to test drug interactions. Source: News @ Northeastern To Northeastern engineering professor Carol Livermore, origami is more than just beautiful art—it’s a platform to create life-saving innovations in science and medicine. Since 2015, a […]
Jun 28, 2017
Young Scholar Program Provides Experience-Based Learning for Future Scientists and Engineers
The Center for STEM Education kicked off its 2017 Young Scholars Program on June 26, 2017, with 26 budding scientists and engineers from high schools at a variety of cities and towns in the Greater Boston area.
Jan 17, 2017
Livermore awarded a patent for sealable microvalves
MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore and doctoral student Chenye Yang were awarded a patent for a “Sealable microvalve that can be repeatedly opened and sealed” that can be used for miniature vacuum and analysis systems. Abstract Source: USPTO A substantially leak-free, sealable microvalve that can be repeatedly opened and sealed is presented. The resealable microvalve […]
May 02, 2016
Faculty and Staff Awards 2016
2016 Faculty and Staff Awards Congratulations to all the winners of the faculty and staff awards, and to everyone for their hard work and dedication during the 2015-2016 academic school year. Faculty Fellow Kaushik Chowdhury, ECE Carol Livermore, MIE Marilyn Minus, MIE Rising Star Staff Award Gabrielle Fiorenza, Co-op Nicole Nightingale, Dean’s Office Outstanding Teachers […]
Mar 23, 2016
2016 COE Faculty Fellows
Congratulations to this year’s class of COE Faculty Fellows: Kaushik Chowdhury, Carol Livermore, and Marilyn Minus.
Dec 04, 2015
Carol Livermore co-chairs PowerMEMS 2015, and her research group presents four papers.
MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore co-chaired the 15th International Conference on Micro and Nanotechnology for Power Generation and Energy Conversion Applications (PowerMEMS 2015) in Boston.
Jul 22, 2015
NSF visits Livermore's Lab as part of Young Scholars Program
MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore's Micropower and Nanoengineering Laboratory was visited by a NSF Program Manager to discuss the research she is doing with young scholars and undergraduate students this summer.
Mar 25, 2015
Origami Tissue Engineering
MIE Associate Professor Carol Livermore-Clifford was featured in Boston Magazine for her ideas of using origami techniques to create 3D organ tissues.