MOVE Center

The MOVE Center at Kennesaw State University is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary research and innovation in rehabilitation and assistive technologies by bringing together faculty expertise across engineering, health sciences, computing, and related fields.

Our mission is to support the development of impactful solutions that can improve mobility, health, and quality of life for individuals and communities.

Promoting and Submitting Grant Proposals in Cayuse

Friday, November 13, 2026
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Join us for a practical, hands-on discussion on preparing and submitting grant proposals through Cayuse. I will share my experiences, practical tips, and lessonslearned from multiple submissions.

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Research Tracks

Events

Preparing & Submitting Grant Proposals in Cayuse

Flyer inviting Kennesaw State University faculty to an online session about preparing and submitting grant proposals in Cayuse on November 13, 2026.

Friday, November 13, 2026
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Microsoft Teams

Join us for a practical, hands-on discussion on preparing and submitting grant proposals through Cayuse. I will share my experiences, practical tips, and lessonslearned from multiple submissions.

NSF & NIH Proposal Review

Kennesaw State University flyer for an NSF and NIH proposal review faculty panel discussion, featuring four panelists and event details for December 4 at the Marietta Campus.

Friday, December 4, 2026
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
G-233, Marietta Campus

Join us for a faculty panel discussion providing insights into the review process, recent changes, and recommendations for writing more competitive proposals

CTIP Guest Speaker – Thank You, Dr. Greg Zapotoczny!

What a wonderful visit! A big thank you to Dr. Greg Zapotoczny from Northwestern University and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago for his insightful presentation on pediatric medical-device development and clinical translation.

Thank you also to everyone who joined us! One important takeaway is that the Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP) provides guidance and resources to researchers developing pediatric medical technologies, including opportunities for seed funding.

If your research focuses on pediatric healthcare — or involves a technology that could potentially be adapted for pediatric applications — it is never too early to connect with CTIP, seek guidance, and explore opportunities for collaboration.

Please let us know if you would like to be connected with him or the CTIP team. We would be happy to facilitate an introduction!

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Leadership

Dr. Ayse Tekes

MOVE Center Director

Dr. Ayse Tekes is an Associate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at Kennesaw State University. Her research explores the design, development, and modeling of soft robots and flexible machines, in addition to engineering education and the development of lab equipment and AI-powered virtual labs.

Before arriving at KSU, Dr. Tekes earned her Ph.D. from Istanbul Technical University in Istanbul, Turkey and served as a postdoctoral researcher at Georgia Institute of Technology.

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News

MOVE Center receives National Science Foundation grant

We are thrilled to share that the MOVE Center has received its first National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, a $399,953 award supporting the development of AI-enhanced physical-digital tools for soft robotics, compliant mechanisms, physical prototypes, digitaltwins in MATLAB, and nonlinear modeling.

Dr. Ayse Tekes, Director of the MOVE Center, will serve as the principal investigator, alongside co-principal investigators Dr. Lei Shi and Dr. Razvan Voicu.

This award marks an exciting milestone for the MOVE Center and will help us advance innovative research and education in emerging soft robotic technologies.

We are deeply grateful to the National Science Foundation (NSF), MathWorks, and Kennesaw State University Research for their continued support. This project will also create meaningful hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, preparing them to contribute to the rapidly emerging fields of soft robotics, AI, and physical-digital engineering.

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