Formal Robotics Education Programs:
Best Practices and Future Opportunities
We would like to thank all of the panelists and participants at the Forum that was held at IROS on October 5, 2023. We had some great discussions, and look forward to future engagements.
We have posted links to the presentations within the agenda below. If you have not yet filled out the survey, please add your contribution to the database.
We look forward to future opportunities to discuss the exciting opportunities, best practices, and challenges in Robotics education.
Agenda & Presentations
The goal of this project was to exchange ideas and best practices in formal Robotics education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
The IROS 2023 Forum on "Formal Robotics Education Programs: Best Practices and Future Opportunities” was held on October 5, 2023 in Detroit.
8:30 Informal gathering, networking
9:00 Intro to the Forum
Presentation of survey results (presentation)
Michigan Robotics (presentation)
WPI Robotics Engineering (presentation)
10:00 Break
10:30 Panel on Undergraduate Programs in Robotics
Jenelle Piepmeier, US Naval Academy (presentation)
François Michaud, Univ. of Sherbrooke (presentation)
Jim Devaprasad, Lake Superior State (presentation)
12:15 Lunch
1:30 Panel on Masters Programs in Robotics
Louis Whitcomb, Johns Hopkins University (presentation)
George Syrmos, University of Maryland (presentation)
Nikos Papanikolopoulos, University of Minnesota (presentation)
Ani Hsieh, University of Pennsylvania (presentation)
3:30 Break
4:00 Panel on PhD Programs in Robotics
Antonio Sgorbissa, I-RIS representative, University of Genova, Italy (presentation)
Aude Billard, EPFL, Switzerland (presentation)
5:00 Wrap-up
An initial survey was done to collect data on existing undergraduate and graduate programs in Robotics. Topics include curriculum, enrollment, faculty expertise, capstone design and other course projects, instructional labs and equipment/supplies, and other relevant factors. More than 50 responses from all over the world were received.
After the IROS forum, an article will be written for the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, describing the findings of the survey and the insights gained through the forum, including best practices and future challenges for Robotics degree programs.
Organizers
Dawn Tilbury
Ronald D. and Regina C. McNeil Department Chair of Robotics
University of Michigan
tilbury@umich.edu
Jing Xiao
Deans' Excellence Professor and Head of Robotics Engineering Department
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
jxiao2@wpi.edu
Purpose
The goal of this project is to exchange ideas and best practices in formal Robotics education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. This project consists of three components:
Survey: An initial survey will collect data on existing undergraduate and graduate programs in Robotics. Topics include curriculum, enrollment, faculty expertise, capstone design and other course projects, instructional labs and equipment/supplies, and other relevant factors.
IROS Forum: Data collected from the survey will be summarized and presented at the IROS 2023 Forum on "Formal Robotics Education Programs: Best Practices and Future Opportunities”, on October 5, 2023. The forum will be followed by several moderated panel discussions on undergraduate, master’s and PhD degrees in Robotics. You can register for the forum here.
Article: After the IROS forum, an article will be written for the IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, describing the findings of the survey and the insights gained through the forum, including best practices and future challenges for Robotics degree programs.