Cagdas Onal Named Interim Department Head of Robotics Engineering
June 9, 2026
The following message was sent from Dan Linzell, Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering.
It is my pleasure to announce that Cagdas Onal has been appointed interim head of WPI’s Department of Robotics Engineering, effective July 1, 2026.
Onal is an accomplished scholar, educator, and leader in the field of soft robotics. He currently serves as an associate professor in the Department of Robotics Engineering and is the founding director of the WPI Soft Robotics Lab. His research focuses on the design, modeling, and control of soft robotics systems, including origami-inspired robots and continuum mechanisms, with applications ranging from human-robot interaction to operation in complex environments.
Since joining WPI as an assistant professor in 2013, Onal has played a pivotal role in shaping the university’s robotics research and educational programs. He was promoted to associate professor in 2019 and has held several leadership roles, including founding director of the Future of Robots in the Workplace - Research & Development (FORW-RD) National Science Foundation Research Traineeship program.
Onal earned his PhD in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2009, following bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science from Sabancı University in Turkey. He also completed postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, where he advanced foundational work in soft robotics.
An internationally recognized researcher, Onal has received numerous honors, including a National Science Foundation CAREER Award supporting his work on modular origami in soft robotics systems. His research program has secured significant external funding from other agencies and industry partners that has led to a number of peer-reviewed publications, patents, and innovations in soft robotics.
In addition to his research contributions, Onal has been deeply engaged in graduate education and program development at WPI. He served as the robotics engineering department’s graduate program coordinator from 2015 to 2023, helping guide the growth of one of the university’s largest graduate programs. He has also mentored many doctoral, master’s, and undergraduate students, contributing to the development of the next generation of robotics engineers.
Onal succeeds Jing Xiao, who has served as the founding head of the Department of Robotics Engineering since it became a full academic department in 2020. Under Xiao’s leadership, the program was elevated to one of the nation’s first standalone robotics engineering departments, offering comprehensive undergraduate through doctoral degree programs and advancing WPI’s prominence in robotics research and education.
We are deeply grateful to Jing for her vision, leadership, and lasting contributions to the growth and success of the department.
Please join me in congratulating Cagdas on his appointment and supporting him in this important leadership role.
