Mihai "Mishu" Duduta is currently a Medical Devices Innovation Fellow at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Mishu earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at the Harvard Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. His research focused on novel actuator materials for soft robotics and he was co-advised by Prof. Robert Wood and Prof. David Clarke. After completing the PhD, he continued as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard and the Wyss Institute focusing on haptic applications of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs).  

Before Harvard, Mishu was the first employee of 24M Technologies, a Cambridge-based MIT start-up which is developing a new manufacturing method for lithium ion batteries. In his time at 24M, he co-authored several patents describing the processing of semi-solid battery electrodes and their assembly into unconventional battery architectures. 

He received his Bachelor's from MIT's Department of Materials Science and Engineering in 2010. His undergraduate thesis advisors were Prof. Yet-Ming Chiang and Prof. W. Craig Carter, and the work was the scientific foundation for the semi-solid redox flow battery technology spun out by 24M.

Originally from Romania, Mishu showed an early interest in Chemistry, and won prizes at several national competitions, as well as a Silver Medal at the International Chemistry Olympiad in 2004.