I am a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor in the Robotics Department. My research focuses, in short, on how humans work together with the autonomous systems we build, and how we can build future autonomous systems as better teammates for humans. I received my PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in May 2026.

Research Interests

My work answers the central question of how should humans work together with autonomous systems? I focus on developing data-driven and control-theoretic frameworks for real-time collaboration between humans and robots and artificial intelligence agents to exceed both human and autonomous systems’ capabilities, while promoting team interdependence, situational awareness, and trust. This work specifically focuses on how humans perceive the world and themselves, and how those perceptions are turned into actions. In this framework, human decisions are described at three levels: (1) high-level strategy, such as choosing a route or method of addressing a problem; (2) behavioral modeling at the tactical level, which includes more granular decisions like when to turn and look at a ball or when to change lanes to avoid an obstacle; and (3) dynamical-system modeling for actions currently being enacted, such as the steering angle needed to change lanes. Classical data science and modern artificial intelligence methods such as control theory, system identification, and stochastic modeling are used to capture these layered sets of behavior.

Technical and Professional Background

While my research focuses on the most efficient methods for teams to accomplish joint goals, my professional path has been less direct. I hold an undergraduate degree in Physics from Texas A&M University and a juris doctor from the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Before obtaining my PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, I practiced as a patent litigation attorney at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP. My work analyzing complex technologies, from solar cells to the Internet and cellular standards, led me to discover my love of research and leave her legal career to pursue a PhD and, eventually, a career as a professor.