Skip to main content

Monica Li Storms

Faculty Photo

Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering

Pronouns: she/her

Education

  • Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 2023
  • M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, 2018
  • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 2016

Previous appointments

  • Research Scientist, Berkshire Grey, 2025 – 2026
  • Postdoctoral Associate, Yale University, 2023 – 2025

Research Statement

Professor Storms' studies the physical contact interface between robot and world, to develop robots capable of real-world dexterous manipulation. She combines experiments with analytical models to gain fundamental understanding and guide mechanical design. Research interests include soft contact dynamics and fluid-structure interaction in the context of robot grasping. She is also interested in tactile sensing and sound as a sensing modality for robot perception. Advances in these areas will enhance general robot capabilities, with applications to warehouse automation, in-home assistance, remote exploration, and even wearable technology.

Select publications

  1. Li, M., Woodman, S. J., Shah, D., Kramer-Bottiglio, R. (2026). ``Liquid metal is a bulk conductor.'' Advanced Materials Technologies 11, no. 12: e02651.
  2. Li, M., Stuart, H. S. (2025). “AcousTac: Tactile sensing with acoustic resonance for electronics-free soft skin." Soft Robotics, vol. 12, no. 1.
  3. Li, M., Huh, T. M., Yahnker, C. R., Stuart, H. S. (2022). “Resonant pneumatic tactile sensing for soft grippers." Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 7, no.4, pp. 10105-10111.
  4. Li, M., Melville, D., Chung, E., Stuart, H. S. (2020). “Milliscale Features Increase Friction of Soft Skin in Lubricated Contact." Robotics and Automation Letters, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 4781-4787.