Biography:

I am current an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of California, Riverside, where I am leading the Robotics and Explainable AI Lab (REAL). There, I am also an Advisor of the UCR Robotic Program as well as a  cooperating faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. My research specializes in robotics, machine learning, control, formal methods, aiming to enhance applications in autonomy systems, human-robot interaction, and AI Security.

Before joining UCR, I was a research scientist at Honda Research Institute (San Jose Office) from 2023-2024. I was a postdoctoral associate in the Autonomous and Intelligent Robotics Laboratory, Lehigh University, Philadelphia, PA from 2021-2023. I also worked with MIT Lincoln Lab and Boston University as a postdoctoral research associate from 2021-2023.  I received the Diploma in Mechanical Engineering in 2021 from the University of Iowa. I also received the M.Sc. and B.Eng in mechanical engineering from University of Florida, Gainesville, USA, 2017 and Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China, 2015, respectively. 

Research Agenda:

My research objective is to create autonomous intelligence that is both explainable and reliable, providing interpretable assistance and collaboration with humans.

The REAL is currently concentrating on three key areas: (1) Control based on learning and perception, guided by intricate temporal logic specifications. (2) Safe deployment of robots characterized by nonlinear, high-dimensional, and challenging-to-model dynamics. (3) Developing and validating human-robot systems through the lens of game theory and predictive analysis.

Lab Recruitment:

I’m looking for highly motivated students who have strong background in robot control and machine learning. Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to contact me via email, together with a resume including publication list and transcripts.