Designing the future
Laia Mogas-Soldevila, PhD
Assistant Professor of Architecture
Director of DumoLab Research (DLR)
Weitzman School of Design
Dr. Laia Mogas-Soldevila pioneers the field of biomaterial architecture by integrating life science practices into bio-fabricated material systems for design. Her laboratory develops water-based design and fabrication methods for responsive and regenerative building systems and everyday objects. Her work, awarded by the Johnson&Johnson Foundation, is recognized in global exhibitions as well as scientific journals, and influencing academic leadership across sustainable manufacturing, bio-based architecture, and biogenic materials innovation.
Eda Begum Birol
Research Scholar, PhD student at DumoLab Research
Eda Begum Birol is a PhD student at DumoLab Research (DLR) in the Stuart Weitzman School of Design at the University of Pennsylvania, with an interest in exploring the potential of earthen biomaterial composites for design and construction applications. She holds a B.Arch in Architecture and MSc. in Matter Design Computation from Cornell University and an MSc. in Civil and Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Throughout her studies at Cornell University, Begum was a research associate at the Sabin Lab, focusing on computational design and robotically driven additive manufacturing for novel clay building blocks as part of the PolyBrick series. Begum is deeply interested in examining the relationship between materiality, technology, and community.
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Santiago Cortes Mejia
DumoLab Research Assistant
His academic interests center on the intersections of music, identity development, and education, with a focus on exploring how social justice and peace can be implemented in classroom contexts. Santiago also brings experience working with community-based and extracurricular educational programs, where he has combined music and social engagement to foster inclusive and empowering learning environments.