Lab Members

Students who completed their Ph.D. under my supervision

1. Nikhil Potu Surya Prakash (2024)
   "Learning and Optimization Methods for Robust Control of Hard Disk Drives and Geometric Control of Fully Actuated Mechanical Systems"
   Dr. Prakash is a research engineer at Apple.

2. Ruolin Li (2023)
   " Towards Smarter Transporation: A Study of the Behavior and Organization of Autonomous and Human-Driven Vehicles"
   Dr. Li has accepted a faculty position in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Southern California.

3. Zhi Chen (2021)
   "Feedforward Learning Control for Multi-Actuator Hard Drives and Freeform 3D Printers". Dr. Chen is a senior engineer at Momenta in Beijing, China.

4. Prateek Shah (2020)
   "Joint Feedback and Feedforward Data Driven Control Design and Input Shaping Techniques for Multi-actuator Hard Disk Drives"
   Dr. Shah is a research engineer at Western Digital in San Jose.

5. Cheng-Ju Wu (2019)
   "Field Implementation of Freeway Control." Dr. Wu is currently a control and system integration engineer.

6. Negar Mehr (2019)
   "Mobility Efficient Smart Cities: from Human Driven Cars to Mixed Vehicle Autonomy." Summer 2019. Dr. Mehr is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley.

7. Matthew A. Wright (2019)
   " Studies on Complex and Connected Vehicle Traffic Networks". Fall 2019. Dr. Wright is a PostDoctoral researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

8. Omid Bagherieh (2017)
   "Estimation, Identification and Data-Driven Control Design for Hard Disk Drives." Spring 2017. Dr. Bagherieh is a research engineer at Apple.

9. Fu Zhang (2015)
   "Control and Self-Calibration of Microscale Rate Integrating Gyroscopes (MRIGs)." Fall 2015. Dr. Zhang is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU).

10. Behrooz Shahsavari (2015)
    "Direct and Indirect Adaptive Feedforward Repetitive Control of Servo Systems. Fall 2015. Dr. Shahsavari is a research engineer at Apple."

11. Dongyang Su (2014)
    "Modeling, Estimation and Control of Traffic." Fall 2014. Dr. Su is a Software Engineer, Infra at Facebook.

12. Ajith Muralidharan (2012)
    "Tools for Modeling and Control of Freeway Networks." Fall 2012. Dr. Muralidharan recently co-founded a company Aliveo AI.

13. Gunes Dervisoglu (2012)
    "Automatic Calibration of Freeway Models with Model-Based Sensor Fault Detection." Fall 2012. Dr. Dervisoglu is a research engineer at Apple.

14. Rene O. Sanchez (2012)
    "Wireless Magnetic Sensor Applications in Transportation Infrastructure." Fall 2012. Dr. Sanchez is a research engineer at Sensys Networks.

15. Josiah Wernow (2012)
    "On the Future of Head-Based Micro-actuators in Hard Disk Drives." Spring 2012. Dr. Wernow is a research engineer at Seagate.

16. Richard Conway (2011)
    "Discrete-Time H2 Guaranteed Cost Control" Spring 2011. Dr. Con- way is a research engineer at Western Digital Corporation.

17. Jianbin Nie (2011)
    "Control Design and Implementation of Hard Disk Drive Servos." Spring 2011. Dr. Nie is a research engineer at Apple.

18. Sarah Felix (2010)
    " Integration of piezoelectric sensing and control for nano-scale vibration suppression in hard disk drives." Spring 2010. Dr. Felix is a Professor of Practice, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

19. Edgar Ergueta (2008)
    "Full Sheet Control Through the Use of a Steerable Nips Mechanism." Spring 2008. Dr. Ergueta is currently a  a senior research engineer at Apple.

20. Stanley Kon (2007)
    "High Resolution MEMS Strain Sensors for Vibration Detection on Hard Disk Drive Instrumented Suspensions." Spring 2007. Dr. Kon is currently  a senior director at Applied Materials.

21. Sing Yiu Cheung (2006)
    "Traffic Surveillance by Wireless Sensor Networks." Fall 2006. (P. Variaya co-Chair). Dr. Cheng is currently a Lead Engineer at All Day Kitchens.

22. Rene Sanchez (2006)
    "Nonlinear Control Strategies for a Steerable Nips Mechanism." Spring 2006. Dr. Sanchez is a Principal Mechanical Engineer - Control Systems at Multibeam Corporation

23. Kenn Oldham (2006)
    "Microdevices for Vibration Suppression in Computer Hard Disk Drives." Spring 2006. Dr. Oldham is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Michigan.

24. Jongeun Choi (2006)
    "Self-Organizing Algorithms for Controlling Network Feature Map Probability Distributions, and Synthesizing Multiple Robust Controllers." Spring 2006. Dr. Choi is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Yonsei University in South Korea.

25. Xinghui Huang (2006)
    "Robust Track-Following Control Design for Dual-Stage Servo Systems with a MEMS Microactuator and an Instrumented Suspension." Spring 2006. Dr. Huang is a Researcher at Seagate.

26. Si-Hyung (Shawn) Lim (2005)
    "Opto-Mechanical Sensor Array for Physically and Chemically Induced Nanoscale Motion Detection." August 2005 (A. Majumdar, co-advisor). Dr. Lim is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering at Kookmin University in Korea.

27. Xiaotian Sun (2005)
    "Modeling, Estimation, and Control of Freeway Traffic." Spring 2005. Dr. Sun is currently a Software Engineer, Autonomous Driving in Nvidia.

28. Gabriel Gomes(2004)
    "Optimization and Microsimulation of On-ramp Metering for Congested Freeways." Dr. Gomes is currently a research at PATH and an Instructor in the Mechanical Engineering Department at UC Berkeley.

29. Laura Munoz (2004)
    "Macroscopic Modeling and Identification of Freeway Traffic Flow." Dr. Munoz is a Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology.

30. Yunfeng Li (2003)
    "Dual-Stage Servo Control and Active Vibration Compensation in Magnetic Hard Disk Drives." Dr. Yi is currently at Apple.

31. Jingang Yi (2001)
    "Fault Detection and Handling for Longitudinal Control." Dr. Yi is currently a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Rutgers University.

32. Carlo Cloet (2001)
    "A Mechatronics Approach to Copier Paperpath Design," July 2001 (M. Tomizuka, co-advisor). Dr. Cloet is currently a Model Based Control Design Engineer at CNH, Belgium

33. Tsung-Lin (Tony) Chen (2001)
    "Design Fabrication and Control of PZT-Actuated Polysilicon Suspensions for Hard Disk Drives." Dr. Chen is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chiao Tung Univ. in Taiwan.

34. Sungsu Park (2000)
    "Adaptive Control Strategies for MEMS Gyroscopes," Dec. 2000 Dr. Park is currently a Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Sejong University, Korea.

35. Martin Krucinski (2000)
    "Paper Path Control of Xerographic Machines," Dec. 2000 (M. Tomizuka, co-advisor). Dr. Krucinski is currently a Principal Controls Software Engineer - Surgical Robotics at Medtronic, North Haven, Connecticut.

36. Charmaine Toy (2000)
    "Emergency Vehicle Control Laws and Maneuvers for Automated Highway Systems," May 2000 Dr. Toy is currently at Dicon Fiberoptics.

37. David Horsley (1997)
    "Microfabricated Electrostatic Actuators for Magnetic Disk Drives," May 1997 (A.P. Pisano was a co-advisor). Dr. Horsley is currently an Adjunct  Professor at UC Davis and Northeastern, a Startup Founder, and an Advisor & Angel Investor.

38. Satinderpall Singh Pannu (1997)
    "Adaptive Servo using Micromachined Accelerometers for Increased Disturbance Rejection for Magnetic Hard Disk Drives," May 1997. Dr. Pannu is currently VP of Product Research and Emerging Clinical Indications at Nevro.

39. Joel F. Shields (1997)
    "Control of Exercise Machines, Theory and Experiments," December 1997. Dr. Shields is a senior engineer at JPL.

40. Luis Alvarez (1996)
    "Automatic Highway Systems: Safe Platooning and Traffic Flow Control," December 1996. Dr. Alvarez is a Vice Chancellor and a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Universidad Autonoma Nacional de Mexico (UNAM).

41. Perry Y. Li (1995)
    "Self-optimizing Control and Passive Velocity Field Control of Intelligent Machines," May 1995. Dr. P. Li is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Minnesota.

42. Bo Li (1995)
    "Wiener Filter Base Adaptive Control with Applications to the Design of Disk File Servos," May 1995. Dr. Li is a  Servo Engineer at HGST, a Western Digital Company.

43. Patrick Cheung (1995)
    "Design, Fabrication, Position Sensing and Control of Electrostatic, Surface-Micromachine Polysilicon Microactuators," May 1995. Dr. Cheung is a Business Development Assoiciate at CNT/Calnest, Fremont, CA.

44. William Messner (1992)
    "Learning Control," December 1992. Dr. Messner is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie-Mellon University.

45. James McCormick (1992)
    "Performance Enhancements of Disk File Servos Through Adaptive Control," December 1992. Dr. McCormick is now retired as a Senior Principal System Engineer at Medtronics, Boston, MA. 

46. Wei-Wen Kao (1990)
    "Learning Control of Robot Manipulators," Spring 1990. Dr. Kao was a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Yuan-Ze Institute of Technology, Taiwan, R.O.C. Dr. Kao was a  Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and is now COO/Asia General Manager at Eggtronic.

47. Chul Goo Kang (1989) 
    "Robust Deterministic Control for Robotic Manipulators," Fall 1989. Dr. Kang is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Kon Kuk University, Mo-Jin-Dong, Seong-Dong-Gu, Seoul, Korea.

48. Jia-Yush Yen (1988)
    "Identification and Control of a Computer Disk Drive Actuator," December 1988. Dr. Yen is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Taiwan University, Taipei, R.O.C.

49. Nader Sadegh (1987)
    "Adaptive Control of Mechanical Manipulators: Stability and Robustness Analysis," December 1987. Dr. Sadegh is a Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. 

1. Yinheng Zhu (July 2023 - June 2024)

2. Prof. Jonguen Choi (Jan 2023- Dec 2023)

3. Alexander Rose (Aug 2022 - May 2023) 

1. Ryozo Nagamune
   Dr. Nagamune is currently the Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia.

2. Benedetto Vigna
   Dr. Vigna is currently the CEO of Ferrari.

3. Gabriel Gomes
   Dr. Gomes is currently a researcher in PATH and an instructor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley.

4. Alexander Kurzhanskiy
   Dr. Kurzhanskiy is currently a researcher in PATH. 

5. Keitaro Ohno
   Mr. Ohno is currently a member of the Lower House of Congress in Japan.

6. Masahito Kobayashi
   Mr. Kobayashi recently retired from Western Digital. He was HDD CTO Office, Emerging Magnetic Storage Devices.

7. Ehsan Keikha
   Dr. Kikha is a Senior System Design Engineer at Apple