Bahareh Behkam

Ph.D. - Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, 2008

M.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon Univesity, 2003

B.S. - Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, 1999

• 2023, Emerging Leaders in Biological Engineering, Journal of Biological Engineering 
• 2021, Favorite Faculty Award (student-nominated), Virginia Tech
• 2021, 2nd Place SB3C Ph.D. Student Mechanobiology and Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering Competition, Faculty Advisor, 2021
• 2020, John R. Jones III Faculty Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech
• 2020, IMECE-NSF Top Experimental Approach Award
• 2020, 3rd Place IMECE Overall NSF Research Award
• 2019, 2nd Place SB3C PhD Student Cellular Mechanics, Drug Delivery, and Therapeutics Competition, Faculty Advisor
• 2018, Best Conference Paper Award, International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales
• 2016, Virginia Tech National Distinction Recognition
• 2015, Virginia Tech Office of the Vice President of Research Scholar of the Week
• 2015, National Science Foundation CAREER Award.
• 2014, Selection to the National Academies Keck Frontiers Initiative Conference
• 2014, Best Poster Award, ASME Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology
• 2013, Aline Inc. Best Paper Award, ASME Global Congress on NanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology
• 2012, Outstanding New Assistant Professor Award, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech
• 2012, Peeble Award for Best Paper, Adhesion Society Meeting
• 2010, Sigma-Xi Research Award, Faculty Advisor
• 2004, Dowd-ICES Doctoral Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University

2020-present, J.R. Jones III Faculty Fellow, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech

2018-present, Member, Wake Forest Baptist Comprehensive Cancer Center 2015-present, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech

2015-present, Associate Professor of Health Sciences, Virginia Tech

2009-present, Affiliate Faculty, Macromolecules Innovation Institute, Virginia Tech

2009-present, Core Faculty, School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Virginia Tech

2008-2015, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Virginia Tech

2008, Postdoctoral Research Scholar, NanoRobotics Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University

1999-2001, Research Engineer, Iran Center for Industrial Research and Development, Tehran, Iran

Dr. Behkam’s research expertise is in micro/nanoscale systems engineering, with a focus on biomedical applications. Her lab’s current research interests include:

• Bio-hybrid microrobotic systems for cancer therapy
• Interfacial mechanics of pathogen-biomaterial interactions
• Mechanobiology of microbial infection
• Mammalian cell migration in multi-cue environments

Dr. Behkam's current research can be found through her google scholar profile.