My research is in computational geometry, a branch of computer science with deep mathematical roots and ties to many application areas, including computer graphics, robotics, and manufacturing. My most recent research is on folding and unfolding, a topic brimming with easily comprehended unsolved mathematical problems, and with connections to protein folding, to manufacturing by sheet metal bending, and to a host of other application areas.

NSF funded this work under a Disintinguished Teaching Scholars award in 2001. The project incorporates the latest research in this developing area into educational levels from grade school through graduate school and industrial research: origami constructions in grade school, creating folding toys in middle school, a two-week summer high school course, a new interdisciplinary college course, Folding and Unfolding in Engineering--touching on topics from design of the Space Shuttle robot arm to automotive airbag unfurling--an academic monograph readable at several levels, and software addressing industrial needs.