Hello, and welcome to the second episode of “A Light Breakfast!” In this limited summer series, I, Danny Giancioppo, interviewe Photonics and Neurophotonics Center graduate students as a part of our ongoing student community profiles.
Here, I aim to talk to BU grad students who, prior to joining BU, had enrolled in one of our Summer Research Experience programs. And because I love a good pun, we have these conversations after alight breakfast at a food stop in or around BU’s campus.
In this second episode, I talked to 2025 REU Penelope Llibre, who has just begun her PhD in Mechanical Engineering in the Sabelhaus Lab.
After a light breakfast at Cafe Landwer (on Beacon Street), I got to know a little bit more about Penny, her reasons for joining the REU, and why she decided to come back to Boston University to pursue her PhD.
This Q&A has been edited for time and clarity.
Transcript:
Hi Penny!
Penelope Llibre: Oh, hi Danny!
So, to just get right into it, can you tell me a little bit about where you’re from, about your hometown, the vibe, and it’s STEM presence? And with that, did you get into STEM as a kid or was it once you went to college? What’s the origin of your interests?
PL: Yeah! So, I’m from Florida, from Miami. Both of my parents are Cuban, I’m a first generation student. STEM presence in Miami is actually pretty prominent, with more of a focus on environmental sciences, I found, through my high school. That being said, I didn’t really get into STEM that much as a kid. I kind of considered myself like a Jack-of-All-Trades! I tried to do a lot of writing, some theater at some point, some art.
Eventually, when I got to college, I landed on physics as the catch-all, where if you pursue physics you can kind of branch off into whatever you want to do––whether it’s chemistry [or] biology later on. So, that’s what made me want to pursue STEM.
When did you do the REU program, and why did you apply for it? How did you like it? What did you do during your time as an REU––both research and not?
PL: I did my REU program a year ago. I applied for it because at my school––I went to Brandeis––Brandeis has a very strong presence in material sciences, in chemistry especially, but it didn’t have a lot of in-lab experimental research, and I wanted to try seeing what engineering was like. Brandeis still doesn’t have an engineering program, so I thought I’d shoot my shot, see what REUs were available. BU was really high on my list, because the people there seemed very friendly, and the labs––especially in Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering departments––seemed very all-encompassing. There were a ton of options for me to choose from. I got accepted, very grateful for it, and I went directly into Dr. Sabelhaus’s lab, where he does soft robotics research.
Not-research-wise, I did a ton of stuff! Very active summer. I would go straight from the lab to a Red Sox game the next day, or see the fireworks on the Fourth of July. We went kayaking on the Charles at some point, I mean I could give you a whole list.
By the time it was over, and by the time you graduated, what was the deciding factor for you to come back to BU for your PhD?
PL: It was mostly the people, if I’m being honest. I took the REU as my chance to start talking to a ton of different professors, and especially a ton of different grad students. My lab was pretty well-connected with three or four other professors’s labs, so I got lunch with some of the students in other labs, made some friends, and the people here seemed very friendly and welcoming. I genuinely couldn’t imagine myself at another university.
Now you’re back in the Sabelhaus lab, which you were in as an REU. What research are you aiming to do as a grad student in that lab?
PL: So, Dr. Sabelhaus’s lab right now is mostly focused on safety control when it comes to soft robots. There’s a lot of research on how to control soft robots, and how to make them move and bounce and swim around in water, but not a lot of research into how they can safely interact with humans. So most of what I’m going to do, I imagine, is expand upon the research already done by the lab in that regard.
What is it after you complete your graduate degree that you want to do? Some people want to go into industry, other people want to become a professor themselves. What are you looking for, if you know? If you don’t, that’s also fine!
PL: I’ve been thinking about it, I’ve been thinking about it! Academia seems like a commitment right now, to where you have to do a post-doc for five-plus years, kind of cross your fingers and pray to the moon at night that you’ll get into a professor position eventually. Industry seems a lot more stable, so I might go into industry. Ultimately, I’m doing the PhD not because I’m aiming for a particular position. I’m doing the PhD because I think it develops you as a person; it develops your skillset in research, your ability to manage an independent project. That’s mostly what I’m doing a PhD for. So you know, at the end of the five or six years, whatever comes next, comes next. I’m just settled in, for now.
What are you favorite things to do in and around campus? Do you have a favorite building, whether that’s a research building or just somewhere that you like to hangout?
PL: My favorite building on campus, also related to my favorite thing to do on campus: Agganis Arena. That building is insane, man! I didn’t think college sports were actually a thing, and then I walked into that arena––I don’t know if you’ve been––they have like a huge, curved Jumbotron, they have an announcer shouting people’s names as they put on a theme song for them to run in on the ice. Aside from that, the Photonics building has a really nice view of the city. Oh, and the GSU! Shout-out to the GSU. Many $13 lunches were had there.
Are you normally a breakfast person?
PL: Yeah, I love breakfast! Gosh, what do I have for breakfast every morning? Yesterday I buttered some toast, put some cream cheese and some egg’s Benedict on that. I always wake up early to like make fancy elaborate breakfasts, because, you know… long days ahead of me.
And what did you think of this place, Cafe Landwer?
[LONG PAUSE]
PL: I don’t like their coffee, if I’m being honest. I don’t like their coffee that much.
Don’t like the coffee… Alright.
PL: I don’t know if I like their potatoes, either [laughs]. Their ketchup is really good!
All right, well that’s good, we’ll take it. They’re not sponsoring us, so it’s okay to be honest.
PL: No, I’m messing! The food was really good, actually, I really liked the main course. And that’s all there is to say about that.
All right, Penny, well thank you for talking with me today!
PL: I did my REU program a year ago. I applied for it because at my school––I went to Brandeis––Brandeis has a very strong presence in material sciences, in chemistry especially, but it didn’t have a lot of in-lab experimental research, and I wanted to try seeing what engineering was like. Brandeis still doesn’t have an engineering program, so I thought I’d shoot my shot, see what REUs were available. BU was really high on my list, because the people there seemed very friendly, and the labs––especially in Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering departments––seemed very all-encompassing. There were a ton of options for me to choose from. I got accepted, very grateful for it, and I went directly into Dr. Sabelhaus’s lab, where he does soft robotics research. 