Tufts alum named full professor at MIT

Tufts alumnus Amos Winter, E03, was recently promoted to full professor at MIT, effective July 1, 2024. As the primary investigator of the Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) lab at MIT, Winter focuses on products and systems that can thrive in areas with technical and socioeconomic limitations. In one past project, he developed cost-effective prosthetic feet that were equally durable and effective when compared to more expensive prosthetics. 

Winter earned his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering at Tufts and his master’s and PhD from MIT. He became an assistant professor at MIT in 2012 and was recently promoted to full professor. When asked how his experience at Tufts influenced where he is today, Winter reflected on the value of faculty mentorship he experienced as a student at Tufts. “Coming here [to Tufts], the attention to mentorship was key. Both [John R. Beaver Professor] Chris [Rogers] and [Professor] Doug [Matson] were really supportive and encouraging about things I wanted to do,” Winter said. “I think back to things they said to me at the time, and what’s really special about this place is the care and dedication to mentorship.” 

On February 9th, he returned to Tufts to deliver a mechanical engineering colloquium about global design. Winter specializes in creating high-performance, low-cost solutions for resource-constrained areas, including Kenya, Jordan, and Morocco, among other countries. Throughout his presentation, Winter emphasized the balance between maximizing technological capabilities and considering cost and the needs of the users. In particular, he highlighted his work with water desalination and irrigation on farms that have limited resources. His research group is currently working closely with farmers in three countries to implement usable, sustainable systems designed to improve farming capabilities and reduce resource usage. 

With his new title of full professor, Winter plans to continue this important work as well as other projects that support global development. He recently received a $28 million grant from Lisa Yang to fund the new K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research (GEAR) Center at MIT which will focus on developing solutions for three key research areas – global health, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the water-energy-food nexus. As the center director, Winter will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to make a tangible impact on challenges in these areas.