Andrew K. Schulz, Ph.D.

Andrew K. Schulz is an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellow in the Haptic Intelligence Department at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Stuttgart, Germany, and an Associated Postdoc with the International Max Planck Research School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS-IS). He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2022, where his graduate thesis work in the Hu Laboratory for Biolocomotion examined biomechanics across length scales in the elephant trunk, with applications in robotics, health, and sustainability.

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As a postdoctoral researcher, Schulz studies functionally graded biological composites including keratin- and collagen-based materials to inform bio-inspired meta-structures, haptic sensing, and wearable healthcare devices. His work draws on diverse animal systems and combines engineering, materials science, and interdisciplinary collaboration with biologists, zoos, and natural history museums to investigate comparative haptics.

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Schulz's research is featured in the American Museum of Natural History and has been covered by the New York Times, The Atlantic, NPR, and Science Friday. As an autistic researcher, he is active in advocating for neurodivergent and autism accessibility in research and beyond. 

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Download Andrew's CV (PDF)