☰
Advisory Board
Distinguished members rotating from industry, academia, and government
The group is an invaluable resource to the Robotics Department in shaping our program with the insight of external feedback. Members meet regularly to discuss departmental vision, strategies and issues and provide advice to the chair.
![Portrait of Jon Barr](/assets/jon-barr-DIdKIX9O_clEEX.webp)
Jon Barr
COO
Varda Space Industries
![Portrait of Sara Blackmer](/assets/sara-blackmer-qin7MBfr_1VOSeR.webp)
Sara Blackmer
Managing Member & Senior Partner
Solyco Capital
CEO
FluidLogic
![Portrait of Jeff Burnstein](/assets/jeff-burnstein-CavDJiDI_Z2sHBcA.webp)
Jeff Burnstein
President
Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
![Portrait of Ashish Deshpande](/assets/ashish-deshpande-tdzt2_uJ_78HgP.webp)
Ashish Deshpande
Professor, Mechanical Engineering
The University of Texas at Austin
Director of Research Science, Reality Lab Research
Meta
![Portrait of Neil Dueweke](/assets/neil-dueweke-CJRPSJmD_ZegPEH.webp)
Neil Dueweke
Strategic Advisor to the CEO
FANUC America
![Portrait of Danny Ellis](/assets/danny-ellis-CPkLJ6oy_ZJQX7L.webp)
Danny Ellis
CEO
SkySpecs
![Portrait of Mazen Hammoud](/assets/mazen-hammoud-BhJJVuv2_6oid5.webp)
Mazen Hammoud
Director, Motion Tech Strategy
Ford Motor Company
![Portrait of Astha Kukreja](/assets/astha-kukreja-ulsd54dW_1yW5mX.webp)
Astha Kukreja
Staff Systems Engineer
Latitude AI
![Portrait of John Leonard](/assets/john-leonard-CjZMosmE_2thfeU.webp)
John Leonard
Samuel C. Collins Professor of Mechanical and Ocean Engineering
MIT
Associate Department Head for Education
MIT MechE
![Portrait of Roland Menassa](/assets/roland-menassa-DjCpwi7h_1Gmww4.webp)
Roland Menassa
VP of Manufacturing Technology
Champion Home Builders
![Portrait of Elena Messina](/assets/elena-messina-6DLl_1zi_v6tAH.webp)
Elena Messina
Principal
Prospicience, LLC
![Portrait of Darnell Moore](/assets/darnell-moore-Bgag4Sj8_8tjB.webp)
Darnell Moore
Principal Technical Program Manager of University Partnerships
Amazon Consumer Robotics
![Portrait of Doug Neal](/assets/doug-neal-l--The3r_ZxOeUp.webp)
Doug Neal
Managing Director
eLab Ventures
![Portrait of Leon Pryor](/assets/leon-pryor-CZkcp4wc_2piah.webp)
Leon Pryor
Senior Game Producer
META Oculus Studios
President Co-Founder
Motor City Alliance
![Portrait of Mitch Rohde](/assets/mitch-rohde-Bw__HyyD_1IDK81.webp)
Mitch Rohde
Independent Consultant
Retired CEO and Founder
Quantum Signal AI
![Portrait of Katherine Scott](/assets/katherine-scott-BT6nCpvI_29Fd9L.webp)
Katherine Scott
ROS Developer Advocate
Intrinsic
![Portrait of Susan Smyth](/assets/susan-smyth-CHEoUZFg_1H9aLB.webp)
Susan Smyth
Retired Chief Scientist for GM Manufacturing
General Motors