REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Robotics and Autonomous Systems

Kent State University, Kent OH

Investigators

Abstract

The REU Site: Robotics and Autonomous Systems (AUTOBOT) at the Kent State University (KSU) will cultivate students’ interest and capacity to become scientific and engineering contributors in this exciting field, by engaging undergraduate students in cutting-edge research that underpins and enables autonomous systems. Robotics and autonomous systems have revolutionized the way we approach many mundane and some highly sophisticated tasks. From robotic vacuum cleaners to self-driving cars and robotic surgeries, autonomous and robotic systems promise to increasingly shape the way society gets things done. In addition, the three-year KSU AUTOBOT REU Site will provide a transformative experience for students to stimulate their intellectual curiosity, cultivate enthusiasm, and build capacity for scientific exploration and research. Ten students each year will engage in innovative and cutting-edge research projects over a ten-week summer program. These kinds of efforts and projects can increase the number of U.S. students exposed to research in robotics and autonomous systems and educated on the merits of attending graduate school. This broader impact is vitally important to students pursuing careers in autonomy and AI-related fields. The three-year REU Site: Robotics and Autonomous Systems (AUTOBOT) at the Kent State University will cultivate students’ interest and capacity to become scientific and engineering contributors to the expansion of this exciting field, by engaging undergraduate students in cutting-edge research that underpins and enables autonomous systems. Research projects within the program will incorporate scientific concepts related to innovative robotic design, artificial intelligence (AI), human-robot teaming, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) technologies to enable the next generation of more advanced autonomous systems. Ten students each year will participate in core research activities and be led by faculty mentors experienced at working with undergraduate student researchers. In addition to scholarly research, AUTOBOT students will be supported in honing their technical presentation skills and be given the opportunity to contribute to research publications as coauthors. A key focus of the ten-week summer program is to establish relationships with students demonstrating intellectual curiosity in STEM and provide a continuum of engagement to facilitate the transition of students to graduate-level research programs. This Site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the National Science Foundation REU program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.