Devin Bester
University of Kentucky
Faculty Advisor: Prof. Giovanni Traverso
Research Supervisor: Stephen O’Neill
Department: Mechanical Engineering
Biography
Devin Bester is a University of Kentucky senior majoring in mechanical engineering and
minoring in mathematics. Wanting to forge his own path, he has decided to pursue a career that
helps others by prioritizing biomechanical systems analysis and medical device development
across various research endeavors. This has included developing microvascular suture tools at
Johns Hopkins University, performing computational modeling of tissue anatomy at Columbia
University, and facilitating protein amino acid sequence sonification and microgel fabrication
using self-designed droplet generators at his home institution. His current research at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology aims to enhance wetsuit performance by fabricating bioinspired
polymer composites. Outside the lab, Devin serves as an Engineering Ambassador and
enjoys traveling, cooking, and acting. His main aspiration is to pursue a Ph.D. that furthers his
academic career, allowing him to conduct research and foster the future of engineering.
Characterizing Thermal Insulation in Mammalian Biology
Devin Bester1, Stephen O’Neill2, and Giovanni Traverso2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky
2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The current standard for wetsuits is to use polychloroprene (Neoprene) foam for high thermal
insulation and flexibility, excellent for the low-temperature environments encountered by
underwater divers. However, thermal insulation decreases because the increased hydrostatic
pressure compresses the gas within the foam’s cells, decreasing a diver’s time underwater. One
possible solution is to use biomimetics to inspire future wetsuit materials. Mammals in coldclimate
regions thermally regulate themselves in multiple ways; however, the structural makeup
of individual hair fibers has yet to be analyzed. This project aims to analyze animal hair fibers
to determine how their composition influences their insulative properties. Nine samples were
provided by the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology, obtained from mammals inhabiting
several regions across North America and Asia. Samples were prepped with liquid nitrogen
before viewing their native cross sections using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). SEM
imaging revealed distinct cross-sectional architectures across cold-adapted mammalian hairs,
including porous and dense fiber structures. These differences may inform the design of
bioinspired insulating textiles for underwater and cold-environment applications
