Hello!
I am Caroline Schell, a PhD candidate at The University of Tulsa under the mentorship of Dr. Michael Keller.
My doctoral research focuses on the development and characterization of stiffness modulating materials, focused on implementing these in silicone rubber. I have trained as a material scientist since joining this project, procured by Dr. Joshua Schultz and funded by the NSF. The University of Tulsa has provided me with the opportunity to engage in a wide range of research, particularly in the area of fluid mechanics and flow through porous media. I earned both my Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering and my Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from TU. During my graduate studies, I designed and developed a fluid flow-loop system to investigate strontium sulfate scale buildup on gravel pack screens, further strengthening my expertise in experimental fluid dynamics and flow characterization.
Research: Soft Material Manufacturing and Characterization
Stiffness modulation via melting/cooling of paraffin wax in a fabric-reinforced continuum soft robot
Vascularization
Metamaterial Manufacturing
Digital image correlation
Nanoparticle Synthesis
Custom Filament Extrusion
Magnetorheological Fluid Manufacturing
See my work @
Recent publications:
“Soft Robotics: If You Can Dream It, Can You Print It?”
“Endurance tests for a fabric reinforced inflatable soft actuator”
Manuscripts in Prep:
“Wax On, Wax Off: Thermally Activated Fabric Reinforced Continuum Robot”
“Magnetomechanical Compressive Testing of PDMS Struts Infilled With Magnetorheological Fluids”
“A Method of Vascularization for Soft Robot Materials”
“Characterization of Optical Materials for Soft Robot Sensors”
Recent Highlights
2025 Distinguished Graduate Student Award
2025 Faculty/Staff of the Year for Fraternity and Sorority Life
2024 Sorority and Fraternity Life Engineering and Computer Science Faculty of The Year
Williamson JG, Schell, C., Keller M and Schultz J (2024) “Soft Robotics: If You Can Dream It, Can You Print It?. Front. Young Minds.” 12:1401789. doi: 10.3389/frym.2024.1401789
Speaker: Schell, C., Keller, M. “Characterization of Magnetic Metamaterials”, Michael Sutton International Student Paper Competition, Society of Experimental Mechanics, Seattle, WA, June 2024.
Bui, Phuc D. H., Benjamin Prugh, Alejandra M. E. Padilla, Caroline Schell, Michael Keller, and Joshua A. Schultz. “Endurance Tests for a Fabric_reinforced Inflatable Soft Actuator.” Frontiers in Materials 10 (May 25, 2023). https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2023.1112540.
2021 Chapman Distinguished PhD Fellowship
Professional Leadership
Leadership Roles:
Vice President, Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Association, 2024-2025.
President, Tulsa Area Delta Delta Delta Alumnae, 2020-2024.
TU Alumni Association Volunteer, 2021-2024.
Session Chair, SEM 2023.
Session Chair, SEM 2024.
Mentorship:
Three graduate students: Ramona Naghi, Fall 2024-Summer 2025. Peter Lynch, Fall 2022-Spring 2024. Anna Williams, Fall 2021-Summer 2022.
Four undergraduate researchers: Tanner Tyndall, Fall 2022-Summer 2025. Munifa Shah, Summer 2024. Erin Weiss, Spring 2024. Erin Kirk, Summer 2022.