Organizers

Lal "Lila" Bozgeyikli, PhD (Primary Contact Person)

Dr. Lal "Lila" Bozgeyikli earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of South Florida in 2016. She is currently an assistant professor of virtual reality at the University of Arizona's School of Information. She has published several papers in various journals and conferences of prestigious organizations such as IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies and ACM Transactions on Accessible Computing. Her research interests include virtual reality, human-computer interaction, serious games, and game design and development.

Evren Bozgeyikli, PhD

Dr. Evren Bozgeyikli earned his Ph.D. from the University of South Florida’s Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He is currently an assistant professor at the School of Information at the University of Arizona. He has published several scientific papers in various conferences and journals about interaction and locomotion techniques in virtual reality and design, development and evaluation of the effectiveness of virtual reality systems for training. His current main research areas include human-computer interaction, video game development, virtual reality, algorithms and mobile applications.

Redwan Alqasemi, PhD

Dr. Redwan Alqasemi earned his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2007 and is currently a research professor at the University of South Florida’s Mechanical Engineering Department and a lead researcher at the Center for Assistive, Rehabilitation and Robotics Technologies (CARRT). He has extensive research experience in rehabilitation robotics and assistive technologies, virtual reality applications for training, human-robot interaction and controls, haptic interfaces, and brain-computer interface. He worked on various projects with engineers of various disciplines, computer scientists, physiologists, medical doctors, physical therapists, prosthetists, and orthotists. He has experience working with persons with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, including persons with spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, traumatic brain injury and autism spectrum disorder. Redwan is a member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), and a board member of the Lifeboat Foundation Scientific Advisory Board. He served as a panelist for several NSF programs, and he published more than 150 technical papers in national and international journals and conferences in the field of robotics and assistive/rehabilitation technologies. His across disciplinary work experience includes working with colleagues from USF’s School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, College of the Arts, Drapers Laboratories, Micromo, and a host of other institutions and entities.

Rajiv Dubey, PhD

Dr. Rajiv Dubey is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Center for Assistive, Rehabilitation & Robotics Technologies (CARRT). His research interests include assistive robotics and prosthetics; rehabilitation engineering; and robotics in healthcare, space, undersea, and nuclear waste management.  He has published over 200 refereed articles and directed over fifty PhD dissertations and MS theses. He was an Associate Editor of the IEEE Journal on Robotics and Automation for eight years and has been on numerous organizing committees for major international conferences in robotics including ICRA and IROS. Dr. Dubey has received $25 million in research funding as a Principal Investigator from various agencies including NSF, NASA, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Education, and the private sector. He is a regular reviewer on NSF panels (CISE, RAPD) including a Blue Ribbon Panel. Dr. Dubey has served as a Director on the USF Research Foundation Board and on several advisory boards including VA HSR&D/RR&D Center of Innovation on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (CINDRR) and Tampa Museums of Science and Industry (MOSI).  He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).