Background

Academic Positions

• 2016 - present: Director, University of Utah Robotics Center.
• 2004 - present: Director, Robotics Track, School of Computing, University of Utah.
• 2008 - 2010: Executive Committee, School of Computing, University of Utah.
• 1997 - 1998: Associate Chair for Research, Computer Science, University of Utah.
• 1994 - present: Professor, School of Computing, and Research Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Utah.
• 1989 - 1994: NSERC/CIAR Professor of Robotics, Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal.
• 1985 - 1989: Associate Professor, Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, MIT.
• 1982 - 1985: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, MIT.
• 1978 - 1982: Research Scientist, Department of Psychology and the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT.
• 1972 - 1978: Research Assistant, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT.
• 1969 - 1971: Research Chemist, IBM Components Division, East Fishkill, New York.

Education

• 1978: Ph.D, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT.
  Dissertation: A Study of Human Motor Control Through Analysis and Synthesis of Handwriting.
  Supervisor: David Marr.
• 1975: S.M., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT.
  Thesis: Hierarchical Shape Description of Objects by Selection and Modification of Prototypes.
  Supervisor: Patrick Winston.
• 1969: M.S., Mathematics, University of Michigan.
• 1968: B.S., Chemistry, University of Michigan.

Professional Service

Journal Editorial Activities

• Editor, International Journal of Robotics Research, 2000-present.
• Governing Board, Haptics-E (electronic journal), 1998-2006.
• Senior Editor, Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments, 1994-2006.
• IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation: Technical Editor, 1989-1994.
• Journal of Motor Behavior: Editorial Board, 1989-1992.

Conference Chairmanships

• General Chair, World Haptics Conference, Salt Lake City, March 18-20, 2009.
• Co-organizer, IEEE-RAS/IFRR Summer School in Haptics, Universite de Pierre et Marie Currie, Paris, September 25-29, 2006.
• Co-chairman, IMA Workshop on Haptics, Virtual Reality, and Human-Computer Interaction. Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, June 14-15, 2001.
• Co-Chairman, 9th International Symposium on Robotics Research (ISRR), Snowbird, Utah, October 9-12, 1999.
• Program Chairman, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Scottsdale, Arizona, May 14-19, 1989.

Conference Committees

• Program Committee, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, 1985, 1988, 1991-1993, 1995-1998, 2000-2002.
• Program Committee, Haptics Symposium, 2000-2002.
• Program Committee, IEEE Virtual Reality Conference, 1995-2002.
• Program Committee, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 1995-1996.
• Program Committee, International Conference on Intelligent Autonomous Systems IAS-4, Karlsruhe, Germany, March 27-30, 1995.
• Program Committee, First International Symposium on Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, Pittsburgh, September 22-24,
• Organizing Committee, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems '93 (IROS'93), Yokohama, Japan, July 26-30, 1993.
• Advisory Council, IEEE International Workshop on Intelligent Robots and Systems '91, Osaka, November 3-5, 1991.
• Program Committee, IEEE MEMS-90 Workshop, Napa Valley, California, February 12-14, 1990.
• Program Committee, Fourth International Conference on Advanced Robotics, Columbus, Ohio, June 13-15, 1989.
• Organizing Committee, Engineering Foundation Conference on Biomechanics and the Neural Control of Movement: Development and Role of Models, Henniker, New Hampshire, July 19-24, 1987.
• Organizing Committee, Engineering Foundation Conference on Biomechanics and Neural Control of Movement, Henniker, New Hampshire, July 10-15, 1983.

Professional Society Committees

• Member, George R. Saridis Leadership Award Nomination Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2020.
• Chair, Fellows Evaluation Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2018-2019.
• Member, Fellows Evaluation Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2012, 2016-2017, 2020.
• Member, IEEE Fellow Committee, 2013.
• Member, Awards Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2013.
• Member, Member Activities Board, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2012-present.
• Member, Conference Activities Board, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2012-2015.
• Member, Electronic Products and Services Board, and Technical Activities Board, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2012-2013.
• Vice President for Technical Activities, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2010-2011.
• Vice President for Conference Activities, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2008-2009.
• Associate Vice President, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Steering Committee for Technical Programs, 2006-2007.
• Associate Vice President, Steering Committee for Technical Programs, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 2005-2007.
• Administrative Committee, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society, 1989-1993.

Advisory Boards

• Strategic Advisory Committee, Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, 2013-present.
• International Foundation of Robotics Research, USA Regional Officer, 2002-present.
• Member, CRA Interim Computing Community Consortium Council, 2006-2007.
• External Advisory Board, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 2003-2013.
• External Review Committee, iCORE --- the Alberta Informatics Circle of Research Excellence, 2000-2015.
• Strategic Advisory Committee, Engineering Research Center on Computer Integrated Surgical Systems and Technology, Johns Hopkins University, 1999-2012.
• National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council: Committee on Virtual Reality Research and Development, 1993-1994.
• British Columbia Advanced Systems Institute: International Scientific Advisory Board, 1989-2004.

Fellowships and Honors

• 2020: George R. Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
• 2016: IEEE Life Fellow.
• 2013: Volunteer of the Year Award, Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.
• 2012: Distinguished Service Award, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
• 2006: Outstanding Teacher Award, School of Computing, University of Utah.
• 2006: Student Choice Teacher Award, Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU).
• 1996: Fellow, the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
• 1993-1995: Distinguished Lecturer, IEEE Robotics and Automation Society.
• 1989: Industrial Research Chair in Robotics, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council / Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.
• 1988: Fellow, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.
• 1985: Interacademy Exchange Program, National Academy of Science, Bulgaria.
• 1984: Presidential Young Investigator Award, National Science Foundation.
• 1975: Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Sigma Xi.
• 1966-68: University of Michigan
  Magna cum laude with honors in chemistry
  Phi Beta Kappa
  Phi Kappa Phi
  Phi Lambda Upsilon
  Angel Scholar
• 1964-66: Michigan Technological University
  Dean's list (top 2%)
  Phi Eta Sigma
  Phi Lambda Upsilon award as outstanding chemistry freshman