Research, Relationships, and a Wedding in South Korea

Professor Matthew Flavin presenting at the Global Conference on Innovation Materials conference on Jeju Island.

Martina Lindo

mlindo7@gatech.edu

Wed, 08/06/2025 - 12:00

While many travel for leisure or work, Matthew Flavin found a way to do both this summer. His trip to South Korea combined a family celebration with the opportunity to present his team’s new research.

For three weeks, the assistant professor in the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering pursued a mix of travel, scientific exchange, and meaningful moments with loved ones.

“I gave nine invited talks in total, in addition to many one-on-one meetings with collaborators across the country,” Flavin said. “But beyond sharing our work, the goal was about building long-term connections, with universities, researchers, and future opportunities.”

Advanced Wearable Bioelectronics

Flavin, who joined the ECE faculty in 2023, leads the Flavin Neuromachines Lab, a research group focused on wearable bioelectronics with a specialty in haptic technology. His work explores how soft, skin-integrated devices can create realistic physical sensations and how that capability can improve lives.

ECE Takes You There

This story is part of the "ECE Takes You There" summer series highlighting student, faculty, and alumni summer adventures! From exciting internships to international travel, discover how the ECE community is exploring, learning, and growing.

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In a recent Nature publication, Flavin’s group introduced a novel haptic device that mimics the sensation of physical touch. The implications of that work are far-reaching, including applications for individuals with visual impairments or sensory processing challenges.

“We’re working to augment human perception,” he said. “It’s about designing tools that help people interact with their environments in new, intuitive ways.”

Flavin’s talks focused on his research in wearable bioelectronics, with a spotlight on haptic devices that simulate realistic touch to enhance sensory perception.

Matt Flavin presenting to student in Jeju Island

Flavin with the students from his talk at POSTECH in Pohang, South Korea.

Summer on the Move

Flavin’s summer trip abroad was both ambitious and intentional. He began at the Global Conference on Innovation Materials 2025 on Jeju Island, before continuing on to deliver invited talks at:

POSTECH (June 23–24) – Pohang
Inje University (June 25) – Gimhae
Sungkyunkwan University – SKKU (June 27) – Seoul
Hanyang University (June 30) – Seoul
KIST (July 1) – Seoul
Korea University (July 2) – Seoul
U.S.–Korea Nanotechnology Forum (July 3–4) – Seoul
Seoul National University (July 4) – Seoul

“These events ranged from formal seminars to collaborative discussions,” Flavin said. “It was energizing to be in rooms with brilliant people who were genuinely excited about the work we’re doing and to see how it resonates across disciplines and borders.”

Perfect Timing

While the trip was professionally enriching, it also held personal significance—Flavin and his wife capped off their time abroad by celebrating his brother-in-law’s wedding in Seoul on July 5, just a day before returning to Atlanta.

“It really was perfect timing,” said Flavin. “After nearly three weeks of research talks and travel, we closed out the trip with family. It was a beautiful reminder that the work we do is connected to the lives we lead outside the lab.”

ECE Takes You There

For Flavin, the experience reaffirmed the value of international engagement and the role ECE plays in supporting faculty to pursue meaningful, global opportunities.

“The department has been incredibly supportive,” he said. “ECE gave me the runway to represent Georgia Tech on an international stage and the flexibility to pursue collaborations that could have long-term impact for our research.”