7T6 Early Career Award: 2017 Recipient
Andrew Gillies (MechE 0T7)
After Andrew Gillies graduated from U of T Engineering, he went on to obtain master’s and PhD degrees in 2013 from the University of California at Berkeley working in Ron Fearing’s Biomimetic Millisystems Lab. His research focused on developing controllable adhesives inspired by gecko footpads, with an emphasis on materials systems and microfabrication techniques. Throughout the course of his academic research, he won two NSERC post-graduate awards, published several scientific journal articles, and filed numerous provisional patents. Shortly after graduating, he co-founded Dash Robotics, Inc. — with the mission of creating affordable, educational STEM robots designed to inspire students to get involved in robotics and engineering. He regularly conducts workshops for at-risk middle school students in financially disadvantaged areas of Oakland. Gillies is active in the Silicon Valley startup community as both a mentor and speaker.