Dr. Eric Markvicka is the Robert F. and Myrna L. Krohn Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL). There, he also holds a courtesy appointment in the School of Computing and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. At UNL Prof. Markvicka directs the Smart Materials and Robotics Laboratory, an interdisciplinary research lab that is creating multifunctional soft materials that exhibit a unique combination of mechanical, electrical, acoustic, and thermal properties. These materials are critical components for the emerging fields of wearable computing, soft robotics, and robotic materials. Prof. Markvicka is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors, National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) Fellow, and Peter Kiewit Foundation Engineering Academy (PKFEA) Faculty Fellow and has received the 2024 NSF CAREER award, 2024 ASME Rising Star of Mechanical Engineering award, 2024 College of Engineering Edgerton Innovation Award, 2023 College of Engineering Excellence in Research Award, and 2021 NUtech Ventures Emerging Innovator of the Year award. Before joining the faculty at UNL, Eric received his B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical and Materials Engineering from UNL and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon University. He has been a visiting researcher at the Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center, and Honeybee Robotics. He is the recipient of the graduate research fellowship awards from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Center for Machine Learning and Health (CMLH) at CMU, and NASA Nebraska Space Grant Consortium.

Areas of Research and Professional Interest

• Robotics
• Stretchable electronics
• Soft materials
• Liquid metals
• Bio-inspired engineering

In the News: 

• May 29, 2025: Husker engineers advance work on intelligent, self-healing technology
• Mar 25, 2025: Markvicka named senior member of National Academy of Inventors
• Nov 06, 2024: New device would help those with chronic conditions get timely treatment
• Sep 21, 2024: Six Nebraska Engineering faculty awarded named professorships
• Apr 22, 2024: Markvicka’s CAREER award supports work on soft materials for robotics, stretchable electronics
• Mar 22, 2024: Liquid metal may point way to wearable ultrasound devices
• Aug 02, 2022: Markvicka helps develop octopus-inspired glove that lets divers grasp objects underwater
• Apr 26, 2022: 'Electronic nose' sensing device that can identify compounds in breath, on skin, wins DMD pitch competition
• Apr 15, 2022: MME researchers publish paper outlining printing process for liquid metal droplets
• Feb 23, 2022: From farm devices to wearable battlefield tech: Markvicka brings new era for robotics
• Nov 08, 2021: Markvicka, team developing new processes to manufacture more versatile rubber
• Nov 03, 2021: Engineering faculty, MwRSF, grad student earn NUtech Ventures Innovator Awards