This National Science Foundation (NSF) Project Grant award under the Engineering (CFDA 47.041) program provides $232,786 to President and Board of Trustees of Santa Clara College to conduct collaborative research on the swimming motion of bacteria. The research aims to leverage robophysical modeling techniques from robotics to better understand the physical and biological factors that influence bacterial motility and interaction behaviors. The project will involve experimental and theoretical investigations to elucidate how non-Newtonian rheological properties impact bacterial locomotion, characterize swimming near surfaces, and examine hydrodynamic interactions between neighboring bacteria. The research outcomes are expected to advance the fundamental knowledge of bacterial motility, with potential applications in biomedical and technological domains. The project will also provide education and training opportunities for undergraduate students through senior design projects and create educational films based on the research findings.
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