Lauren Dreier
Contact: ldreier@princeton.edu | http://lauren.design
Education
PhD candidate, School of Architecture, Princeton University (PU) | 2020âpresent |
Co-advised by P.-T. Brun (Chemical and Biological Engineering), Andrej KoĹĄmrlj (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering), Forrest Meggers (School of Architecture) | |
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) | 2004â2007 |
Magna cum laude |
Research projects
Liquids and Elasticity Lab (P.-T. Brun), KoĹĄmrlj Group (Andrej KoĹĄmrlj), PU | 2021âpresent |
Harnessing mechanical instabilities in âsoftâ i.e. largely deforming material systems, can lead to novel means of manufacturing, emergent structural behavior, and shape morphing across scales. Projects include: | |
Beaded MetamaterialsâFabrics cannot typically withstand compressive forces, limiting their applicability in some settings. Our research shows that by introducing discrete rigid units in textiles, i.e. beads, we can form shape-morphing objects with tunable stiffness and the capacity to withstand large compressive forces. | |
Liquid LaceâExtrusion-driven instabilities can exhibit self-organizing phenomena, leading to the quasi-autonomous manufacture of materials with periodic holes. Â | |
Sculpting the free surface of expanding foam: analysis of bubble growth and transport when growing from confinement (in progress). | |
Form Finding Lab (Sigrid Adriaenssens), CREATE Lab (Stefana Parascho), PU | 2019â2021 |
Lace in SpaceâMaking bobbin lace with non-traditional materials can cause the textile to pop out-of-plane, forming lightweight elastic networks with emergent mechanical properties. | |
Robotic LacingâBuilding indeterminate, compliant structures in 3D space using cooperating robotic arms. Situated in the context of the history of lace making by hand and machine with Basile Baudez, Dept. of Art and Archeology, PU. |
Publications
L. Dreier, T.J. Jones, A. Plummer, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âBeaded metamaterialsâ. Nature Communications 16, 7899 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61809-8. | 2025 |
L. Dreier, T. Marzin, R. David, S. Pienaar, A. Eujayl, R. Vogeley, Y. Xi, and
P.-T. Brun. âLiquid lace: Regular pattern formation by under-extrusionâ, Physical Review Fluids, https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.9.110512. | 2024 |
L. Dreier, R. David, T. Marzin, A. KoĹmrlj, P.-T. Brun, âCharacterizing periodic stick-slip instability in under-extruded polymers,â (in preparation). | 2024 |
T. Yu, L. Dreier, F. Marmo, S. Gabriele, S. Parascho, S. Adriaenssens, âNumerical modeling of static equilibria and bifurcations in bigons and bigon ringsâ, Journal of Mechanics and Physics of Solids, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmps.2021.104459. | 2021 |
Exhibitions
Yellow highlight indicates solo show
Green highlight indicates museum show
Fluid Motion: The Coexistence of Order and Chaos, Houston Museum of Natural Science and Nicole Longnecker Gallery, Houston, TX | 2025-2026 |
Art of Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ | 2025 |
Spiraling Upwards: The Traveling Gallery of Fluid Motion, The Leonardo, Salt Lake City, UT | 2024â2025 |
Gallery of Soft Matter, American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting, Minneapolis, MN | 2024 |
Gallery of Fluid Motion, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, Washington, D.C. | 2023 |
Connecting Artifacts 03, Komaba Museum, Tokyo, Japan. | 2023 |
Balancing Act, AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, Raleigh, NC. | 2023 |
Art of Science (three entries accepted), Princeton University, Princeton, NJ | 2023 |
Gallery of Soft Matter, American Physical Society March Meeting | 2022 |
Lace in Space, Labatut Gallery, Princeton School of Architecture, Princeton, NJ | 2021 |
Joint Mathematics Meetings 2021 Art Exhibition (online) | 2021 |
Strands, in conjunction with NY Fashion Week, 198 Allen St, New York, NY | 2018 |
Boundless: New Works in Printmaking, Creative Arts Workshop, New Haven, CT | 2012 |
23rd National Drawing and Print Competitive Exhibition, Gormley Gallery, Baltimore, MD | 2012 |
Volumes: Artist Editions, Causey Contemporary, Brooklyn, NY | 2012 |
Philly(heart)Design, Philadelphia, PA | 2008 |
Philly(heart)Design, Philadelphia, PA | 2007 |
Awards
Most Innovative Student Poster Award: Society of Engineering Science | 2025 |
Milton van Dyke Award: American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics | 2023 |
Best of Diversity, Access, and Inclusion: Outstanding Programming Award, Women in STEM, PU | 2022 |
Art Purchase Prize: Notre Dame of Maryland University | 2012 |
Michael Yaron Prize in Architecture, UPenn | 2005 |
Conferences
L. Dreier, T.J. Jones, A. Plummer, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âBeaded Networksâ 2025 SES Annual Technical Meeting: 6.1: Advances on the Mechanics of Architected Materials. | 2025 |
L. Dreier, T. Marzin, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âNot so soft: incorporating rigid elements in textilesâ APS March Meeting 2024: MAR-B63 | 2025 |
L. Dreier, T. Marzin, J. Le Dreff, A. Plummer, P.-T. Brun. âFree-foaming: harnessing the free surface of expanding polyurethane foamsâ APS Division of Fluid Dynamics: T09.00005. | 2024 |
T. Marzin, L. Dreier, B. Venkateswaran, R. David, S. Pienaar, P.-T. Brun. âTwisted shells: unraveling under-extrusion instabilities in 3D printingâ APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2024: L18.00001. | 2024 |
L. Dreier, T. Marzin, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âSoft to solid: unraveling the mechanics of discrete textile networksâ APS March Meeting 2024: F34.00008. | 2024 |
L. Dreier, R. David, T. Marzin, B. Venkateswaran, S. Pienaar, P.-T. Brun. âLiquid lace: under-extruding viscous threads to build periodic structuresâ APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2023: G23:00002. | 2023 |
L. Dreier, T. Jones, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âBeading is the new jamming: leveraging compliance and rigidity in discrete shape morphing structuresâ APS March Meeting 2023: F09.00012. | 2023 |
L. Dreier, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âBuilding with blobs: harnessing liquid thread instability to assemble regular structuresâ, APS Division of Fluid Dynamics 2022: T15.03 | 2022 |
L. Dreier, T. Jones, A. KoĹĄmrlj, P.-T. Brun. âThink big: overcoming gravity in large scale shape morphing structuresâ APS March Meeting 2022: B21.00006. | 2022 |
T. Yu, L. Dreier, F. Marmo, S. Gabriele, S. Adriaenssens. âStatic equilibria and bifurcations of interlaced bigon ringsâ APS March Meeting 2021: F16.005. | 2021 |
Teaching and advising
Mentor to undergraduates, PU
Jaya Choudhary â28, Mechanical Engineering: Self-folding origami | 2025 |
Liora Nasi â24, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Bubble casting for complex actuation. Winner of Donald Janssen Dike Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research | 2023â2024 |
Kaleb Areda â24, Chemical and Biological Engineering: Mechanics of Carbopol jets. | 2023â2024 |
Lawrence Azzariti â24, Chemical and Biological Engineering: Characterization and mechanical applications of photopolymers. | 2023â2024 |
Stephane Pienaar â23, Chemical and Biological Engineering: Machine learning prediction for defect printing. | 2022â2023
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Aman Eujayl â23, Rice University via NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program, Princeton Center for Complex Materials: Defect printing characterization. | 2022 |
Raphael Vogeley â25, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Defect printing characterization. | 2022 |
Christine Ohenzuwaâ23, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering: Using elasticity to bring mechanical intelligence to âHex Bugâ robots. | 2022 |
Research supervisor, PU School of Architecture
Laura Fegley (MArch), Lisa Ramsburg (MArch), Emmanuel Osorno (MArch),
Yinong Tao (MArch), Eric Duong (junior researcher), Alla Alsahli (intern) | 2020â2022
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Teaching assistant, PU
MAE 305: Differential Equations (P.-T. Brun). Taught weekly âpreceptâ lecture, held office hours, student meetings, grading (exams and problem sets). | 2022 |
CEE 102: Engineering in the Modern World (Michael Littman). Led biweekly labs and discussion sessions, assisted with in-class demonstrations, held office hours, student meetings, grading (lab reports, exams, and problem sets). | 2021 |
University of Pennsylvania
Lecturer, Architecture: Materials and Fabrication (undergraduate-level). Conceptualized and taught new design curriculum. Planned exhibitions and reviews of student work. | 2010 |
Lecturer, Integrated Product Design (graduate-level). Conceptualized and taught new design curriculum. Planned exhibitions and reviews of student work. | 2008â2009 |
Teaching assistant, Penn Summer Arts Studios (pre-college-level). | 2005â2007 |
Grants
NSF Future Manufacturing Grant CMMI 2037097 | 2022âpresent |
Princeton University Global Collaborative Network ROBELARCH provided by Princeton Institute for International and Regional studies | 2021, 2023 |
University Committee on Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences | 2020â2021 |
Magic Project Grant via the PU Humanities Council
⢠Conceived project (Digital fabrication and art historical inquiry into bobbin lace)
⢠Led grant writing | 2020â2021 |
C3.ai Digital Transformation Institute
⢠Conceived project (COVID-19 social distancing technology and art installation)
⢠Led grant writing | 2020â2021 |
Princeton School of Engineering and Applied Science Project X Fund
⢠Conceived project (Lightweight elastic structures inspired by bobbin lace) | 2018â2020 |
Selected work experience
Multimedia freelance designer. See http://pandlmedia.com | 1997â2020 |
Owner, L-Fab digital fabrication workshop, New York, NY and Hopewell, NJ | 2015â2020 |
Art director, Edible Vineyard, a quarterly magazine about sustainable food and farming
on Marthaâs Vineyard, MA | 2009â2010 |
Design engineer, Amuneal Manufacturing Corporation, Philadelphia, PA | 2008 |
Intern architect, Maria Paz Gutierrez, Architect, Philadelphia, PA | 2005â2007 |
Selected service
Invited workshop leader, âBeading workshopâ, Studio for Creative inquiry at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh PA | 2025 |
Panelist, âSTEM & Beyond: Charting an Interdisciplinary Journeyâ, PU | 2025 |
Panelist, âWhere Art Meets Scienceâ, hosted by the APS Joint Network for Informal Physics Education and Research (JNIPER), online | 2025 |
Violinist, Princeton University Sinfonia, PU | 2021âpresent |
Violinist, Westminster Community Orchestra, Princeton, NJÂ | 2022âpresent |
Member, Women in STEM Leadership Council, PU | 2020â2023 |
Volunteer, D&R Greenway and Friend of Princeton Open Space, Mercer County, NJ | 2018â2021 |
Designer, Island Grown Initiative, Marthaâs Vineyard, MA | 2004â2011 |
Assistant, Larry Becker Contemporary Art, Philadelphia, PA | 2008â2009 |
Instructor, Fourth Grade Theater Project, Vineyard Haven, MA | 2004 |
Student teacher, Arlington Reservoir Art Project, Arlington, MA | 2002â2003 |
Press
Research, art, and design
Daily Princetonian: âMerging ways of thinking at the art of science exhibitionâ https://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2025/05/princeton-prospect-art-of-science-exhibition-friend-center-visual-arts (Accessed: June 20, 2025) | 2025 |
EQuad News, Art + Engineering: âA da Vinci-inspired âdelugeâ of collaborative experimentationâ https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2025/04/29/da-vinci-inspired-deluge-collaborative-experimentation (Accessed: June 20, 2025) | 2025 |
Physics: âWinning Videos Feature Marbling Paint and Freezing Flashesâ https://physics.aps.org/articles/v16/201 (Accessed: Dec 4, 2023) | 2023 |
EPrinceton: âTechnique inspired lace making could someday weave structures spaceâ https://engineering.princeton.edu/news/2021/06/01/technique-inspired-lace-making-could-someday-weave-structures-space (Accessed: Aug 17, 2022) | 2021 |
Friends of the Artist: Volume 12: âLauren Dreierâ https://www.friendoftheartist.com/volume12 (Accessed July 18, 2023) | 2020 |
Garnette Report: âLauren Dreier Exhibition âStripes, Strands, & Stringsââ https://thegarnettereport.com/art/lauren-dreier-exhibition-stripes-strands-strings/
(Accessed: Aug 17, 2022) | 2018 |
NYC Plugged: âLauren Dreier Presents Strands: A Blend of Music, Fashion and Art During NYFWâ https://nycplugged.com/lauren-dreier-presents-strands-music-fashion-and-art-during-nyfw/ (Accessed: Aug 17, 2022) | 2018 |
Also reported in Times Square Chronicle, Fashion Week Online, The Impression, Fashion Maniac, The Violin Channel | 2018 |