Speakers

Maya Cakmak is the Robert E. Dinning Associate Professor at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, University of Washington, where she directs the Human-Centered Robotics lab. Her research interests are in assistive robotics, end-user programming, and human-robot interaction. Her work aims to develop robots that can be programmed and controlled by a diverse group of users with unique needs, preferences, and abilities to do useful tasks. Most recently, she collaborated with Hello Robot, Inc. and UIUC researchers to deploy a Stretch mobile manipulator in the home of a quadriplegic individual for several weeks over the course of three summers. Her team developed an accessible and customizable interface for the user to control and program the robot for tasks ranging from self-care to social participation. Maya is also the PI of AccessComputing, which aims to broaden participation of people with disabilities in computing education and careers and she is currently serving on the CRA-WP board as a co-director of the DREU program. She received an NSF CAREER award, a Sloan Research Fellowship, Early Career Spotlight Awards at RSS and IJCAI, and the Anita Borg Early Career Award.