Brandon Patterson

Brandon Patterson serves as Co-Director of RELATE (Researchers Expanding Lay-Audience Teaching and Engagement) at the University of Michigan while pursuing his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. After earning dual Master's degrees from the University of Utah, where he previously worked in international education, he has built an impressive career combining scientific research with public engagement. His research focuses on computational modeling of ultrasound interactions with human tissue, specifically studying how ultrasound-induced bubble dynamics can affect tissue safety during medical procedures. As RELATE's Co-Director and Workshop Coordinator since 2015, he leads science communication training initiatives while fostering community engagement through events like Nerd Nite Ann Arbor. His commitment to education extends to founding "Engineering the World Around US," a six-week program for underrepresented Detroit high school students. A National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow, he balances his research in fluid mechanics and biomedical acoustics with his passion for STEM outreach, including writing a children's book about bubbles. Through his roles as STEM Communication and Outreach Chair for the Michigan Mechanical Engineering Graduate Council and various public speaking engagements, he continues to bridge the gap between complex scientific research and public understanding.