Academic Credentials
  • Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2020
  • MSME, Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, 2018
  • B.S., Engineering Physics, Cornell University, 2012
Academic Appointments
  • Research Scientist, UW, 2020-2021
  • Instructor, Mechanical Engineering, UW, Winter 2016
  • Graduate Student Researcher, UW, 2012-2020
Professional Honors
  • Mamidala, Ramulu-Vinati Endowed Fellowship, 2016
  • Department of Education GAANN Fellowship, 2013-2016
  • NEMB 1st Place Poster Presentation, 2014
Languages
  • Hindi

Dr. Nikita Taparia specializes in finding mechanical engineering solutions for multi-physics and biological-based problems. At Exponent, she has gained half a decade of experience in litigation matters pertaining to high-rise construction defect projects with a focus on mechanical and plumbing systems, HVAC failures (variable refrigerant flow systems, mold contamination, and data center corrosion), and plumbing system failures (plastic pipe and plumbing design). Previously, she had spent nearly a decade focused on the intersection of microtechnology and biomedical fields, understanding platelet mechanobiology, axon regeneration, and other cellular behavior using microfluidics.  

Dr. Taparia has a unique ability to consolidate both qualitative and quantitative investigative findings into technically sound, digestible visual demonstrative materials. This ability comes from her vast expertise in data analytics and visualization, spanning across a diverse set of data (building automation systems, quantitative image analysis, clinical platelet function, magnetic/temperature/pressure/CO2 sensors, satellite telemetry, soccer/tennis/basketball action event, GPS-data). She also has expertise in microscopy (brightfield, fluorescence, metallurgical, SEM, Keyence) and quantitative image analysis. Dr. Taparia has worked with magnetic materials (nanoparticles/nanowires) and sensors (GMR, AMR, Hall effect). She is very comfortable with IRB protocols for human subject research as well as BSL-2 environments. Additionally, she is experienced with microfabrication techniques (photolithography, metal deposition, soft lithography) and rapid prototyping/3D printing (designs via SolidWorks and AutoCAD).

Prior to Exponent, Dr. Taparia earned her doctorate degree in mechanical engineering at University of Washington, where she developed two technologies: (1) a magnetic actuation microfluidic assay to assess platelet mechanoresponse during early hemostasis in vitro and (2) an optical system to assess anemia and bleeding risk within a microfluidic assay. The latter technology led to a startup venture, Stasys Medical, where Dr. Taparia was an R&D consultant. The company is currently developing a patient focused test method for analyzing blood clotting disorders and platelet dysfunction and has licensed Dr. Taparia's work. Additionally, she was nominated for the UW Excellence in Teaching Award in 2017 and is an avid participant in STEM outreach.

Before graduate school, Dr. Taparia earned an undergraduate degree in engineering physics at Cornell University. While there, she was Mission Operations and Fault Management lead for the Violet Satellite Project, an Air Force Research Lab sponsored mission to demonstrate CMG steering laws on a highly agile nanosatellite and use an ultraviolet spectrometer for scientific measurements. She followed up this experience with an internship at Space Systems/Loral where she built a universal data tool in MATLAB for all on-orbit satellites and she validated and verified contingency, health, and standard operating procedures for all subsystems of several satellites with a Python-based spacecraft simulator. She also assisted on a variety of research projects such as chip satellites and multiplexed microcolumn devices for RNA aptamer selection.