MechSE postdoc wins Israeli research award

8/7/2017 Julia Cation

Written by Julia Cation

Grinberg, right, in the lab.
Grinberg, right, in the lab.

Inbar Grinberg, a postdoctoral researcher in MechSE, was selected for the competitive Mortimer B. Zuckerman STEM Leadership Program for 2017-2018.

The award will aid in advancing her professional and academic development, helping to ensure a significant impact in the STEM fields. The Zuckerman Israeli Postdoctoral Program provides support to Israeli postdocs studying and doing research in the U.S. This marks the program’s second cohort, with 44 women and men, including postdocs and faculty at Israeli universities, and Israeli postdocs at U.S. universities.

Grinberg received her PhD in mechanical engineering from the Technion Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. Her research focused on MEMS actuators and the ability to manipulate their responses using smartly placed directional elements. She implemented these directional elements in electrostatic, thermoelastic, and piezoelectric actuators. She conducts research in Assistant Professor Gaurav Bahl’s group, where she is further developing her skills in micro/nano fabrication, and enhancing her knowledge in the fields of topological insulators, nonreciprocal systems, acoustics and optics.

At Technion, she was a popular teaching assistant in highly attended mandatory courses, winning five awards for outstanding performance as a TA. One advisor commented that her success, in addition to her natural didactic talent, reflected her deep and thorough understanding of the material, and her meticulous preparation.

“I am honored to have been chosen for this award. Aside from the helpful financial support it holds, it is also very motivating to know that our work is being acknowledged and respected by the scientific community,” said Grinberg.

Grinberg also was recently awarded a scholarship from the Council of Higher Education (a government body) in Israel, for female PhD students pursuing a postdoc position.


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This story was published August 7, 2017.