Kayra Ilkbahar

Kayra Ilkbahar is a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he previously earned his M.Eng. in Mechanical Engineering in 2024. He received his B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 2023, with a focus on mechatronics and controls for manufacturing processes.

At the University of Michigan, Kayra served as Microsystems Lead for the Michigan Solar Car Team (2019–2020) and later as Mechanical Systems Lead (2022), contributing to the design and development of competitive solar-powered vehicles.

His research interests include machine design, manufacturing processes, accessible manufacturing devices, and control systems, with an emphasis on developing technologies that expand access to advanced manufacturing capabilities.