DFAB Alumna Incoming Professor at Cornell

Photo by Matthias Leschok

Marirena Kladeftira has been appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Design Tech at Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (AAP), effective January 2026. Her appointment underscores the department's commitment to advancing research and education at the intersection of design and emerging technologies. Marirena holds a doctorate from ETH Zurich, where she was a doctoral researcher within the NCCR Digital Fabrication. Her doctoral research focused on exploring the potential of additive manufacturing for ultra-lightweight modular structures, emphasizing the integration of intelligence at the system's joints. Prior to joining Cornell, she served as a postdoctoral researcher at EPFL, where her work centered on human-robot collaboration for adaptive fabrication, hybrid craft, and sustainable reuse practices.