Marquise D. Bell

Bio

Dr. Marquise Bell is a mechanical engineer whose research focuses on wearable robotic systems made from programmable, textile-based materials. At Penn, he is working with Dr. Kevin Turner in the School of Engineering and Applied Science to develop thermomechanical sheet-based architectures for soft actuators and assistive mobility devices.

Dr. Bell completed his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at Rice University, where he led research projects supported by NASA’s Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) fellowship and the GEM Fellowship Program. His work explored energy harvesting, Joule heating, and fluidic control systems for use in next-generation wearables—including applications in aerospace environments. In addition to publishing in top engineering journals, he has held internships at NASA, Disney Imagineering, and ExxonMobil.

Through his postdoctoral appointment, Dr. Bell aims to expand the design space for soft robotic technologies that are both responsive and energy-efficient. He brings deep experience in thermal-fluid design, mechanical durability testing, and manufacturing of composite sheet-based materials.