Saad Bhamla

Scientist Saad Bhamla is on a mission to answer a question most people don't think to ask: How do insects pee? Taking inspiration from the incredible "butt flickers" of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Bhamla presents a fascinating study of the physics behind how bugs take care of business and invites us to be more curious about the seemingly mundane.

Scientist Saad Bhamla is on a mission to answer a question most people don't think to ask: How do insects pee? Taking inspiration from the incredible "butt flickers" of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Bhamla presents a fascinating study of the physics behind how bugs take care of business and invites us to be more curious about the seemingly mundane.

Scientist Saad Bhamla is on a mission to answer a question most people don't think to ask: How do insects pee? Taking inspiration from the incredible "butt flickers" of the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Bhamla presents a fascinating study of the physics behind how bugs take care of business and invites us to be more curious about the seemingly mundane.

Ep #11 - Dr. Saad Bhamla on Slingshot Spiders, Worm Blobs, and Frugal Science Hello Soft Matter People! Welcome to another episode of The Soft Matter Show. Our today's guest is Dr. Saad Bhamla (https://www.bhamla.com). Saad is a Professor at The School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In this episode, Saad talked about some of the organisms that possess unique biophysical mechanisms for sustaining their life. These organisms include Slingshot spiders, Californian worms, and much more. You may even find parts of this conversation about "How insects pee". Yes! you are hearing me right! Saad also took time to chat about how one can contribute to improve lives in countries with minimal resources using Frugal Science. You can read more about’s Saad’s endeavors in the show note at thesoftmattershow.com Read more: Dr. Saad Bhamla https://www.bhamla.com Science comics: https://www.bhamla.gatech.edu/comic E-mail: saadb@gatech.edu Amal Narayanan https://www.thesoftmattershow.com E-mail: amalnarayanan@thesoftmattershow.com

Dr. Saad Bhamla is Assistant Professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Research in Saad’s lab spans two different focus areas. Some of his projects are dedicated to developing very low-cost scientific tools and medical devices to make these items more accessible and affordable worldwide. Another area of research examines questions in biology and organismal physics. In this area, he is investigating how animals are able to move very rapidly, as well as how organisms can form aggregates that can sense their environment and share information. In his free time, Saad loves to go running. Whether he is training for his next marathon or just taking his dogs out for some exercise, running has been a great way for him to think through problems and brainstorm new ideas. Saad received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. Afterwards, he conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University and was awarded a Dean’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in Bioengineering. In addition, Saad has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award, a Beazley Design Award, Medgadget's Best Medical Technology Award, an award from The Index Project (formerly INDEX: Design to Improve Life), an Innovation in MedTech Award from the American India Foundation and Stanford University, the Centennial Teaching Award from Stanford University, and The Milton van Dyke Award from the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics. Saad has also been named an Accel Innovation Scholar and a National Geographic Explorer. In our interview, Saad shares more about his life and research.

Additional content from Saad Bhamla on studies of fast microorganisms and how their speed can be applied to engineering. GEEKOUT supplemental content allows for deeper discussions with Georgia Tech researchers about engineering, research, and impact.

Without insurance, our medical bills could be thousands of dollars with each routine trip to the doctor. And some of the care we need isn’t even covered by insurance - like hearing aids. Much of that high cost comes from the astronomical prices of medical equipment. Just one pair of hearing aids costs around $5,000. Saad Bhamla talks about his work in frugal science and the impact it’s having on the medical field.