Boyuan Chen Named to ASME Mechanical Engineering Magazine Watch List
Chen’s research focuses on developing full-stack robotics that includes the mechanical structures as well as its AI-based software.
Boyuan Chen, Dickinson Family Assistant Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Duke University, has been named to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) 2025 Mechanical Engineering Magazine Watch List.
Launched in 2024, the annual list spotlights early career professionals who have already left their marks on industry, academia and society. Nominees were evaluated by the Mechanical Engineering editorial team based on their demonstrated impact, strong potential for advancement in their field and engagement with the broader community advocating for the engineering profession.
Chen was selected for his work on full-stack robotics that emphasizes constructing not only the mechanical structures—the body—but also developing the algorithms that form the brain. “We are trying to lay out a foundation, how we’re going to evolve on this new species,” Chen explained.
Chen believes the most exciting—and underappreciated—aspect of robotics is embodiment. “Embodiment sometimes can be a form of constraints about what we can and cannot do. But it also enables us to learn in a certain way,” he said. This awareness defines his lab’s work, focusing not just on algorithms but how a robot’s physical form influences learning and interaction.
Despite concerns over AI, Chen remains optimistic about the future of human-robot collaboration. “Robots are just like our partners and they should be our collaborators,” he said. “Combining together, we can achieve something—a form of superintelligence that is beyond what human or machine could achieve alone.”