Full title of your research work
Deployable spacecraft reflectarray antennas inspired by non-euclidean origami
Popularized title of your research work
Folding the Future of Space Antennas
Curved Origami: The Art Behind Deployable Space Antennas
Short introduction
Saeideh Kazembeigi is a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the Laboratory for Multi-Scale Mechanics (LM2). She is supervised by Prof. David Melançon and Prof. Frederick Gosselin. Her research focuses on designing foldable, high-gain, broadband reflectarray antennas for space applications inspired by the art of origami. She develops packable structures that can be stowed compactly during launch and self-deploy in space, integrating geometry, structural mechanics, and electromagnetics to create high performance lightweight antennas that expand reliably once in orbit.
What method did you use to explain your thesis in 3 minutes?
I tried to explain my work as clearly and simply as possible, drawing on the writer inside me. I am not very familiar with all the different methods yet.
How was your research topic inspired?
My research topic was inspired by the intersection of aerospace constraints and geometric creativity. I studied aerospace engineering during my undergraduate and master’s degrees, and my supervisor also began in aerospace before developing expertise in combining mathematics, art, and engineering through origami and kirigami at Harvard university. Through many discussions about geometry, structure, and form, I became increasingly interested in how folding principles could address real aerospace challenges. The final piece fell into place when Prof. Jean-Jacques Laurin from the electrical engineering department introduced the packing problem. At that moment, everything connected: aerospace constraints, artistic folding, and electromagnetic performance merged into a single, coherent research direction.
If you could dedicate your research to someone (past, present, or future), who would it be and why?
I dedicate this to my parents, who have always given me the very best so I could live each and every one of my dreams. Everyone thinks I’m a strong and independent girl, but the truth is, it is the endless love and support of my parents that has always given me the courage to dream big and the bravery to move forward.
Three keywords to define your research work
Non-Euclidean origami - Deployable reflectarray antennas - Rigid-foldable mechanisms
