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Ph.D. Students

Arbaaz Khan (ESE, 2022)
Current Position: Rivian
Kate Tolstaya (ESE, 2021)
Current Position: Waymo
Ke Sun (ESE, 2021)
Current Position: Zoox
Rebecca Li (2021)
James Svacha (2019)
Current Position: Robotics Engineer at Near Earth Autonomy
Thesis Title: IMU-Based State Estimation and Control of Quadrotors Exploiting Aerodynamic Effects
Monroe Kennedy III (2019)
Current Position: MIT Lincoln Lab, Technical Staff in the Controls & Autonomous Systems Engineering Group
Thesis Title: Modeling and Control for Robotic Assistants: Single and Multi-Robot Manipulation
Kartik Mohta (2018)
Current Position: Research Scientist at Autel Robotics USA
Thesis Title: State Estimation, Control, and Planning for a Quadrotor Team
Mike Watterson (2018)
Current Position: Software Engineer, Waymo
Thesis Title: Geometric Methods for Free-flying Autonomous Systems
Sarah Tang (2018)
Current Position: Software Engineer, Nuro
Thesis Title: Control, Planning, and Coordination for Dynamic Aerial Manipulation with Robot Teams
Sikang Liu (2018)
Current Position: Software Engineer, Waymo
Thesis Title: Motion Planning for Micro Aerial Vehicles
Denise Wong (2016)
Current Position: Robotics Engineer, Exyn Technologies Inc
Thesis Title: Actuation, Sensing and Control for Micro Bio Robots
Justin Thomas (2016)
Current Position: Robotics Engineer, Exyn Technologies Inc
Thesis Title: Grasping, Perching, and Visual Servoing for Micro Aerial Vehicles
Ben Charrow (2015)
Current Position: Google
Thesis Title: Information-theoretic active perception for multi-robot teams
Philip Dames (2015)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Temple University
Thesis Title: Multi-Robot Active Information Gathering Using Random Finite Sets.
Jun Seo (2014)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Thesis Title: Grasping and Assembling with Modular Robots
Matthew Turpin (2014)
Current Position: Staff Research Engineer, Qualcomm
Shaojie Shen (2014)
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Electronic and Computer Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Thesis Title: Autonomous Navigation in Complex Indoor and Outdoor Environments with Micro Aerial Vehicles.
Soonkyum Kim (2013)
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, CMU.
Daniel Melllinger (2012)
Current Position: Co-President, KMel Robotics
Quentin Lindsey (2012)
Current Position: Aeronvironment Inc.
Subhrajit Bhattacharya (2012)
Current Position: Lehigh University
Thesis Title: Topological and Geometric Techniques in Graph Search-Based Robot Planning.
Jonathan Fink (2011)
Current Position: Army Research Laboratory.
Nora Ayanian (2011)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, USC.
Ethan Stump (2010)
Current Position: Army Research Laboratory
Mahmut Selman Sakar (2010)
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, MIT.
Spring Berman (2010)
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Harvard University.
David Cappelleri (2009)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., Stevens Institute of Technology.
Luciano Pimenta (2009)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Federal University of Mineas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Nathan Michael (2009)
Current Position: Research Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania.
Ani Hsieh (2007)
Current Position: Asst. Prof. Drexel University.
Thesis Title: Motion Control Strategies for Networked Robot Teams in Environment with Obstacles
Jungwoo Kim (2006)
Current Position: Currently at Notilus Hyosung, Seoul, S. Korea.
Thesis Title: Adaptive Randomized Algorithms for Validation and Analysis of Complex Systems
Meghann Lomas (2006)
Current Position: Advanced Technologies Laboratory, Lockheed Martin.
Thesis Title: Reinforcement Learning for Mobile Robot Controllers: Theory and Experiments
Sachin Chitta (2005)
Current Position: Currently at Willow Garage.
Thesis Title: Dynamics and Control of a Class of Modular Locomotion Systems
Aveek Das (2004)
Current Position: Currently at Sarnoff Corporation.
Thesis Title: Cooperative Control of Robot Formations
Rahul Rao (2004)
Current Position: Currently at Intel Corporation.
Thesis Title: Image Based Control of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle from an Overhead Camera
Calin Belta (2003)
Current Position: Currently Asst. Prof., Boston University.
Thesis Title: Geometric Methods for Multirobot Planning and Control
Joel Esposito (2002)
Current Position: Associate Professor, United States Naval Academy.
Thesis Title: Simulation and Control of Hybrid Systems with Applications to Mobile Robotics
Peng Song (2002)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Rutgers University.
Thesis Title: Modeling, Analysis and Simulation of Multibody Systems with Contact and Friction
Tom Sugar (1999)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Arizona State University.
Thesis Title: Design and Control of Cooperating Manipulators
Jaydev Desai (1998)
Current Position: Assoc. Prof., Mechanical Engineering, Univ. of Maryland.
Thesis Title: Nonholonomic Motion Planning for Multiple Mobile Manipulators
Venkat Krovi (1998)
Current Position: Associate Professor, SUNY Buffalo.
Thesis Title: Design and Virtual Prototyping of User Customized Assistive Devices
Milos Zefran (1996)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, University of Illinois, Chicago.
Thesis Title: Continuous Methods for Motion Planning
Chau-Chang Wang (1995)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Taiwan.
Thesis Title: Kinematics and Control of Redundant Nonholonomic Systems
William Howard (1995)
Current Position: President, Stability Technology, Buford, Georgia.
Thesis Title: Stability of Grasps: Beyond Force Closure
Mohamed Ouerfelli (1994)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, King Fahd University, Saudi Arabia.
Thesis Title: Kinematics of Head Movements in Paraplegics and Interaction with Robot Manipulators
Nilanjan Sarkar (1993)
Current Position: Associate Professor, Vanderbilt University.
Thesis Title: Control of Mechanical Systems with Rolling Contacts
Yin-Tien Wang (1992)
Current Position: Associate Professor, Tamkang University, Taiwan.
Thesis Title: Analysis and Simulation of Mechanical Systems with Multiple Frictional Contacts
Jung-ha Kim (1990)
Current Position: Professor, Kook Min University, Seoul, S. Korea.
Thesis Title: Kinematics and Statics of Multifingered Grippers
Nathan Ulrich (1990)
Current Position: President, Technique Applied Science, Inc.
Thesis Title: Mechanical Design Optimization of Manipulator Design Performance
Arbaaz Khan
Ed Steager
Current Position: Research Scientist
Ekaterina Tolstaya
Elizabeth Beattie Hunter
James Keller
Luis Guerrero
Mickey Whitzer
Sarah Tang
Current Position: Waymo
Wenxin Liu

Research Staff

Dinesh Thakur

Postdoctoral Fellows

Siddharth Mayya (Postdoctoral researcher, MEAM, 2019-2021)
Current Position: Applied Scientist, Amazon Robotics
Avi Cohen (2018)
Giuseppe Loianno (2018)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, NYU Tandon School of Engineering
Jnaneshwar Das (2018)
Current Position: Assistant Research Professor, Arizona State University, SESE
Amanda Prorok (2017)
Current Position: University Lecturer (Asst. Professor), Cambridge University
Daigo Shishika (2017)
Jimmy Paulos (2017)
Konstantinos Karydis (2015-2017)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, UC Riverside
Thesis Title: A Data-Driven Hierarchical Framework for Planning, Navigation, and Control of Uncertain Systems: Applications to Miniature Legged Robots
Nikolay A. Atanasov (2015-2017)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, UC San Diego
Philip Dames (2015-2016)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Temple University
Thesis Title: Multi-Robot Active Information Gathering Using Random Finite Sets.
Giuseppe Loianno (2014-2015)
Current Position: Research Scientist
Jun Seo (2014-2015)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Thesis Title: Grasping and Assembling with Modular Robots
Pratap Tokekar (2014-2015)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech
Thesis Title: Placement and Motion Planning Algorithms for Robotic Sensing Systems
Mihail Pivtoraiko (2013-2014)
Douglas Macheret (2013)
Subhrajit Bhattacharya (2012-2016)
Current Position: Lehigh University
Thesis Title: Topological and Geometric Techniques in Graph Search-Based Robot Planning.
Koushil Sreenath (2012-2013)
Current Position: Assistant Professor, CMU.
Qimi Jiang (2009-2011)
Current Position: Mining Technologies International, Ontario.
Vinutha Kallem (2009-2011)
Current Position: Currently at SRI
Bogdan Gavrea (2006-2007)
Manish Kumar (2006)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., University of Cincinnati
Peng Cheng (2005-2008)
Current Position: Currently at Mathworks
Savvas Loizou (2005-2007)
Current Position: Visiting Asst. Prof., Naval Arch. and Marine Eng., National Technical University of Athens
Adam Halasz (2004-2006)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., University of West Virginia
Ben Grocholsky (2003-2006)
Current Position: Research Scientist, Carnegie Mellon University
Luiz Chaimowicz (2003-2005)
Current Position: Currently Adjunct Prof., Federal University of Mineas Gerais, Brazil
Peng Song (2003-2005)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., Rutgers University
Xiaoye Wang (2002 (joint with Harvey Rubin and G. K. Ananthasuresh))
Herbert Tanner (2001-2002 (joint with George Pappas))
Current Position: Asst. Prof., Mechanical Engineering, University of New Mexico
Jason Derenick (2001)
Current Position: Currently at UTRC
Rafael Fierro (1999-2001)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., Electrical Engineering, Oklahoma State University
John Ben Southall (1999-2000)
Current Position: Currently at Sarnoff
John Wright (1999)
Current Position: Assoc. Prof., Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Greg Grudic (1998-2001)
Current Position: Asst. Prof., Computer Science, University of Colorado at Boulder
Jean-Marc Vezien (1996-1998)
Current Position: Currently at INRIA, France
Herman Bruyninckx (1996-1997)
Current Position: Currently on the faculty of the Katholik University, Leuven, Belgium
Elan Henis (1992-1993)
Current Position: Currently at the IBM Haifa Research Laboratory
Leslie Johnson (1991)
Thesis Title: A Numerical Technique for Determination of Contact Forces for Multifingered Robotic Grippers
Lifeng Zhou
Sandeep Manjanna

Masters Students

Cedric de Crousaz (May 2015)
Gareth Cross (May 2015)
Current Position: Skydio
Thesis Title: Sparse Monocular Visual Odometry
Michael Shomin (2011)
Erik Smith (2008)
Current Position: US Navy
Dimitris Theodorakatos (2007)
Thesis Title: Cable-Actuated Parallel Manipulators
Gilad Buchman (2007)
Fred Heger (2004)
William Yeoh (2004)
Robert Breslawski (1999)
Thesis Title: Articulated Wheeled and Legged Mobility System for Uneven Terrain
Brad Dufour (1997)
Thesis Title: Strength Amplification in Assistive Devices for People with Physical Disabilities
Milos Zefran (1995)
Thesis Title: Numerical Techniques for Time Optimal Robot Control
Venkat Krovi (1995)
Thesis Title: Modeling and Control of a Hybrid Locomotion System
Greg Garvin (1994)
Thesis Title: Kinematics and Trajectory Generation in Two-Armed Reaching and Manipulation
Parris Wellman (1994)
Thesis Title: An Adaptive Mobility System
Seshadri Narasimhan (1994)
Thesis Title: Control of Robot Manipulators in Singular Configurations
J. Chris Gerdes (1992)
Thesis Title: Modeling and Analysis of the Dynamic Behavior of Spur Gears with Applications To Control
Thomas G. Sugar (1992)
Thesis Title: Design and Control of an in-Parallel Pneumatically-Actuated Manipulator
George Pfreundschuh (1990)
Thesis Title: Kinematics, Design and Control of a Parallel Manipulator
Michael C. Johnson (1989)
Thesis Title: Force and Motion Control of Redundantly Actuated Robotic Systems with Closed Kinematic Chains