William Stewart, PhD
Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Office: Heavy Engineering 214
Email Address: william.stewart@stonybrook.edu
Phone Number: (631) 632-8342
Lab Website: Soft Flyers Group Website
Bio:
William Stewart joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the Fall of 2022.
Prof. Stewart’s research interest primarily lies in multimodal robotics. In particular,
he is interested in eclectic robot design, drawing principles from a wide range of
sources such as soft robotics, biology, and science fiction. He aims to develop new
technologies that can expand the capabilities of aerial, ground, underwater, and soft
robotics in challenging environments, increasing overall robustness and safety. These
aims are achieved through practical modeling, rigorous experimentation, and full vehicle
validation. He serves as an associate editor for IEEE/RSJ International Conference
on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) and as a reviewer for many journals including
Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, Robotics and Automation Letters, and Springer Nature
Applied Sciences.
Education:
- North Carolina State University, Aerospace Engineering, Ph.D. 2018
- North Carolina State University, Aerospace Engineering, M.S. 2014
- North Carolina State University, Aerospace Engineering, B.S. 2012
Professional Experience:
- Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Stony Brook University, 2022 – present
- Postdoctoral Researcher, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, 2018 – 2022
Awards & Publications:
- Recipient of the ONR 2026 Young Investigator Award
- Finalist in the 2025 Best Transaction Paper Award for IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics
- 2020 Honorable Mention from IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
Professional Memberships & Service:
- Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, (IEEE)
- Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, (ASME)
- Associate Editor for IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS)
Overview:
Prof. Stewart’s research interest primarily lies in multimodal robotics. In particular,
he is interested in eclectic robot design, drawing principles from a wide range of
sources such as soft robotics, biology, and science fiction. He aims to develop new
technologies that can expand the capabilities of aerial, ground, underwater, and soft
robotics in challenging environments, increasing overall robustness and safety. These
aims are achieved through practical modeling, rigorous experimentation, and full vehicle
validation.
Highlights & Accomplishments:
- Developed First Ever Fixed-Wing UUV-UAV
- Built UAV That Leverages Wind, Rather Than Resists It
- Optimized a Woodpecker-Inspired UAV that Survives High-Speed Collisions
Research Areas:
Research Interests:
- UAVs in Gusting Wind Conditions
- Bio-Inspired Undersea Robotics
- Eclectic Robots