Eva Kanso

Eva Kanso

Election Year: 2025

Class:  Technical and Environmental Sciences

Biosketch

Dr. Eva Kanso is a distinguished engineer and applied physicist. She serves as the Zohrab A. Kaprielian Fellow and Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, with a joint appointment in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Southern California (USC). A graduate of the American University of Beirut, Dr. Kanso earned her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering and an M.A. in Mathematics from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed her postdoctoral research at Caltech and has held visiting positions at institutions including Princeton University, the Courant Institute, and the École Polytechnique. Dr. Kanso is internationally recognized for her pioneering work in biophysical fluid dynamics, particularly in understanding how organisms interact with their fluid environments. She founded the Bioinspired Motion Lab at USC, where her research spans bio-inspired locomotion, collective animal behavior, and microfluidic transport. Her work integrates engineering, physics, and biology to address fundamental problems with broad applications in robotics, biomedical systems, and environmental science. Her honors include the NSF CAREER Award, the American University of Beirut Distinguished Young Alumnus Award, and the USC Mentoring Award for Graduate Students. Dr. Kanso also served as a Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Division of Civil, Mechanical & Manufacturing Innovation.