Marianne Alleyne

Marianne Alleyne is a researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, an assistant professor of entomology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and is affiliated with the Illinois Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering. Her research group, the Alleyne Bioinspiration Collaborative, or ABCLab, uses a variety of insects as inspiration for the novel design of materials and mechanical systems. 
Alleyne is a past president of the Entomological Society of America. She is also regularly featured on news outlets like NPR and The Verge. 
Research Interests:

Insect physiology

Physiology


Bioinspiration


Bioinspired design


The ABC Lab is broadly interested in what structures and systems in nature (specifically those found in arthropods) can help us more efficiently design novel technologies. We rely on fundamental scientific data to inform the bioinspired design process. Our focus is on multi-functionality of insect wings (cicadas, flies, dragonflies, beetles) and insect associated structures (leafhopper brochosomes). We also study the clicking mechanism of click beetles.
Education

B.A., integrative biology, University of California, Berkeley, 1991

M.S., entomology, University of California, Riverside, 1995


Ph.D., entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2000


Other links

School of Integrative Biology profile
The Grainger College of Engineering profile