Michael C. McAlpine is the Kuhrmeyer Family Chair Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Minnesota. He received a B.S. (2000) in chemistry with honors from Brown University, and a Ph.D. (2006) in chemistry from Harvard University. His current research is focused on 3D printing functional materials and devices for biomedical applications, with recent breakthroughs in 3D printed neural regeneration devices and 3D printed bionic eyes (one of National Geographic’s 12 Innovations that will Revolutionize the Future of Medicine). He has received several awards for this work, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), and the National Institutes of Health Director’s New Innovator Award.