diff --git a/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/ExpressionSelector.tsx b/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/ExpressionSelector.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..76ee885e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/ExpressionSelector.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
+/**
+ * ExpressionSelector - Searchable dropdown for NX expressions
+ *
+ * Fetches expressions from the NX model introspection API and provides
+ * a searchable dropdown for selecting design variable expressions.
+ */
+
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
+import { RefreshCw, ChevronDown, X } from 'lucide-react';
+import { apiClient } from '../../../api/client';
+import { useStudy } from '../../../context/StudyContext';
+
+interface Expression {
+  name: string;
+  value: number;
+  units?: string;
+  formula?: string;
+}
+
+interface ExpressionSelectorProps {
+  value: string;
+  onChange: (name: string, value?: number, units?: string) => void;
+  placeholder?: string;
+}
+
+export function ExpressionSelector({
+  value,
+  onChange,
+  placeholder = 'Select expression...'
+}: ExpressionSelectorProps) {
+  const { selectedStudy } = useStudy();
+  const [expressions, setExpressions] = useState<Expression[]>([]);
+  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [isOpen, setIsOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [search, setSearch] = useState('');
+  const dropdownRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+
+  // Fetch expressions when study changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (selectedStudy?.id) {
+      loadExpressions();
+    }
+  }, [selectedStudy?.id]);
+
+  // Close dropdown on outside click
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleClickOutside = (e: MouseEvent) => {
+      if (dropdownRef.current && !dropdownRef.current.contains(e.target as Node)) {
+        setIsOpen(false);
+      }
+    };
+    document.addEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
+    return () => document.removeEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
+  }, []);
+
+  const loadExpressions = async () => {
+    if (!selectedStudy?.id) return;
+
+    setLoading(true);
+    setError(null);
+
+    try {
+      const result = await apiClient.getNxExpressions(selectedStudy.id);
+      setExpressions(result.expressions || []);
+    } catch (err) {
+      setError('Failed to load expressions');
+      console.error('Expression load error:', err);
+    } finally {
+      setLoading(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const filteredExpressions = expressions.filter(expr =>
+    expr.name.toLowerCase().includes(search.toLowerCase())
+  );
+
+  const handleSelect = (expr: Expression) => {
+    onChange(expr.name, expr.value, expr.units);
+    setIsOpen(false);
+    setSearch('');
+  };
+
+  const handleClear = () => {
+    onChange('');
+    setSearch('');
+  };
+
+  const inputClass = "w-full px-3 py-2 bg-dark-800 border border-dark-600 text-white placeholder-dark-400 rounded-lg focus:border-primary-500 focus:outline-none transition-colors";
+
+  return (
+    <div ref={dropdownRef} className="relative">
+      {/* Selected value display / input */}
+      <div className="relative">
+        <input
+          type="text"
+          value={isOpen ? search : value}
+          onChange={(e) => setSearch(e.target.value)}
+          onFocus={() => setIsOpen(true)}
+          placeholder={placeholder}
+          className={`${inputClass} pr-16 font-mono`}
+        />
+        <div className="absolute right-2 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 flex items-center gap-1">
+          {value && !isOpen && (
+            <button
+              onClick={handleClear}
+              className="p-1 text-dark-400 hover:text-white transition-colors"
+            >
+              <X size={14} />
+            </button>
+          )}
+          <button
+            onClick={loadExpressions}
+            disabled={loading}
+            className={`p-1 text-dark-400 hover:text-white transition-colors ${loading ? 'animate-spin' : ''}`}
+            title="Refresh expressions"
+          >
+            <RefreshCw size={14} />
+          </button>
+          <ChevronDown size={14} className="text-dark-400" />
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      {/* Dropdown */}
+      {isOpen && (
+        <div className="absolute z-50 w-full mt-1 bg-dark-800 border border-dark-600 rounded-lg shadow-xl max-h-60 overflow-y-auto">
+          {loading ? (
+            <div className="p-3 text-center text-dark-400">
+              <RefreshCw size={18} className="animate-spin inline-block mr-2" />
+              Loading expressions...
+            </div>
+          ) : error ? (
+            <div className="p-3 text-center text-red-400 text-sm">
+              {error}
+              <button
+                onClick={loadExpressions}
+                className="block mx-auto mt-2 text-primary-400 hover:text-primary-300"
+              >
+                Retry
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          ) : expressions.length === 0 ? (
+            <div className="p-3 text-center text-dark-400 text-sm">
+              No expressions found.
+              <br />
+              <span className="text-xs">Run NX introspection first.</span>
+            </div>
+          ) : filteredExpressions.length === 0 ? (
+            <div className="p-3 text-center text-dark-400 text-sm">
+              No matches for "{search}"
+            </div>
+          ) : (
+            <ul>
+              {filteredExpressions.map((expr) => (
+                <li key={expr.name}>
+                  <button
+                    onClick={() => handleSelect(expr)}
+                    className="w-full px-3 py-2 text-left hover:bg-dark-700 flex justify-between items-center group transition-colors"
+                  >
+                    <span className="font-mono text-white group-hover:text-primary-300">
+                      {expr.name}
+                    </span>
+                    <span className="text-sm text-dark-400">
+                      {expr.value}
+                      {expr.units && (
+                        <span className="ml-1 text-dark-500">{expr.units}</span>
+                      )}
+                    </span>
+                  </button>
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+
+      {/* Expression info hint */}
+      {value && !isOpen && (
+        <div className="mt-1 text-xs text-dark-500">
+          {expressions.find(e => e.name === value)?.formula && (
+            <span className="italic">
+              = {expressions.find(e => e.name === value)?.formula}
+            </span>
+          )}
+        </div>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/NodeConfigPanel.tsx b/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/NodeConfigPanel.tsx
index 745df0d2..79f40d4e 100644
--- a/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/NodeConfigPanel.tsx
+++ b/atomizer-dashboard/frontend/src/components/canvas/panels/NodeConfigPanel.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { useCanvasStore } from '../../../hooks/useCanvasStore';
+import { ExpressionSelector } from './ExpressionSelector';
 import {
   ModelNodeData,
   SolverNodeData,
@@ -117,12 +118,24 @@ export function NodeConfigPanel({ nodeId }: NodeConfigPanelProps) {
               <label className={labelClass}>
                 Expression Name
               </label>
-              <input
-                type="text"
+              <ExpressionSelector
                 value={(data as DesignVarNodeData).expressionName || ''}
-                onChange={(e) => handleChange('expressionName', e.target.value)}
-                placeholder="thickness"
-                className={`${inputClass} font-mono`}
+                onChange={(name, value, units) => {
+                  handleChange('expressionName', name);
+                  handleChange('label', name || 'Design Variable');
+                  if (units) handleChange('unit', units);
+                  // Set default min/max around current value
+                  if (value !== undefined) {
+                    const dvData = data as DesignVarNodeData;
+                    if (dvData.minValue === undefined) {
+                      handleChange('minValue', value * 0.5);
+                    }
+                    if (dvData.maxValue === undefined) {
+                      handleChange('maxValue', value * 1.5);
+                    }
+                  }
+                }}
+                placeholder="Select NX expression..."
               />
             </div>
             <div className="grid grid-cols-2 gap-2">