Philip M. Dames is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Temple University. His research interests include autonomous robot navigation in complex, real-world environments as well as the intersection of estimation, control, and communication in multi-agent systems. Dames received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics from the University of Pennsylvania in 2015 and his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University in 2010. He is the recipient of an NSF CAREER award.
Slobodan Vucetic interested in solving real-life knowledge discovery problems through development of novel machine learning algorithms. He also interested in building software that has intelligent behavior and can enhance human capabilities. Slobodan’s research is driven by open data science problems in a wide array of disciplines such as Public Health, Medicine, Biology, Geosciences, Education, Marketing, Social Sciences, Traffic Engineering, and Industrial Engineering.
Donald Hantula is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Temple University. His research interests include human/technology interactions, decision making, behavioral economics, and the future of work. He earned his BA in Religion & Psychology from Emory University, MA in Experimental Psychology, and a PhD in Organizational Psychology from the University of Notre Dame. He holds two awards for mentorship and service from the McNair Scholars Program, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Organizational Behavior Management Network and is a fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis-International.
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Zhanteng Xie is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Temple University. His research interests lie at the intersection of robotics and machine learning, with a focus on environmental perception and autonomous robot navigation. Zhanteng received his B.S from Zhengzhou University in 2015 and his M.S. from Harbin Institute of Technology in 2018.
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Lindsay Ouellette is a third year PhD student in Social Psychology working under the advisement of Donald Hantula. She is interested in quantifying how people anticipate each other when walking in pedestrian environments. Other research interests include meaningful behavior change through positive reinforcement and power dynamics. Lindsay also has an MsED in Mental Health and School Counseling from University of Pennsylvania and a BFA in Modern Dance Performance from University of the Arts.
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Abbey Liu is a third year PhD in Computer Science at Temple University working with Professor Slobodan Vucetic. Her research projects are in machine learning, specifically in trajectory prediction and natural language processing. Besides AI in robotics, she is also interested in human computer interaction, and working with social media data. Abbey received her B.S in Data Science from Temple University in 2021.
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Vahid Mahzoon is a second year PhD student in Computer Science at Temple University working with Professor Slobodan Vucetic. He received a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from Amirkabir University and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from Temple University. Vahid’s research interests are in scientific machine learning, trajectory prediction, and numerical methods for solving PDEs and linear systems.
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Alkesh Srivastava is a first-year Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at Temple Robotics and AI Lab, supervised by Dr. Philip Dames. His research interest is in the design and analysis of planning and learning algorithms for autonomous systems, human-machine interaction, and stochastic systems. Prior to joining Temple and following the completion of his Master’s degree in Robotics at the University of Maryland, College Park, Alkesh worked as a Researcher in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at UMD. His Master’s work involved the development of path-planning algorithms for information gathering of hazards in an environment with no communication. Alkesh also holds a B.Tech degree in Electrical Engineering, conferred by Rajasthan Technical University in India.
Joseph (Joe) Bruno is a first-year Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering at Temple University. He is interested in improving robots’ understanding of the world through accurate models of the world and better methods of analyzing and interpreting data. He is also interested in the collaboration between humans and robots in complex environments. Joe received his MS from Temple University and his BS from The College of New Jersey
Julia Zortea is a Psychology major with a minor in Cognitive Neuroscience. She is interested in how to integrate technology and psychology through artificial intelligence. Julia is a writer for Grey Matters, a fully undergraduate-run neuroscience journal and her most recent article is “Musical Memories in Alzheimer’s Patients (https://greymattersjournaltu.org/issue-2/musical-memories-in-alzheimers-patients). Julia is also a member of the Thrift and Flop club and is currently seeking out a position as a campus representative for the National Eating Disorder Association. In her free time, you can find Julia playing soccer, working out, thrifting, and spending time outside listening to music!
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Alexandra (Alex) Capalbo is a third-year student at Temple University majoring in psychology with a minor in cognitive neuroscience. In addition, she is a member of the Psychology Honors Program at Temple University. Alex is interested in how human behavior is altered in varying settings including: interactions with artificial intelligence, in the workplace, and within differing power dynamics. She intends to further her education after receiving her bachelor’s degree. Alex is currently a part of another research study incorporating power dynamics, within a yoga studio setting. Additionally, she is the Philanthropy Chair for Delta Phi Epsilon where she plans and executes fundraisers to support the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as well as Anorexia Nervosa and Affiliated Disorders.