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Lorin Achey has earned the prestigiousÌý for her promising research in robotic perception systems.Ìý

Achey, a second-year PhD studentÌýin theÌýDepartment of Computer Science at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ received the prestigious Department of Defense fellowship. The fellowship was established to recognize and support science and engineering PhD students in disciplines of military importance.Ìý

The award includes a three-year monthly stipend and coverage of tuition, fees and insurance, along with a travel budget for professional development to present research findings at conferences and workshops.Ìý

We sat down with Achey to share some thoughts on her research and how it could impact robotic systems in the future.

Where did your academic journey begin and what drew you to robotics?

I started in community college while working full-time. I was frustrated at the limited mobility available to those without a college degree and that pushed me to consider a degree in STEM. I could see the growing popularity of computing and coding and it seemed like an exciting field so I decided to pursue computer science. After I graduated from undergrad, I worked as a software engineer for a few years. I enjoyed it, but I really missed doing research.Ìý

I decided to return to graduate school for a PhD. I was drawn to robotics because it’s still a new and rapidly evolving field. It’s full of opportunities to contribute!ÌýNow, I work on enhancing robotic perception systems. My research helps a robot reason over the information it gets from its sensors so that it can predict, plan and move around its environment. The goal is to improve the robot’s understanding of the world so that it can operate more efficiently and safely around humans.

What do you hope your robotic research will inform in the future?Ìý

Robots are awesome, but they aren’t always predictable, trustworthy and safe for humans to interact with. While there has been a lot of progress in the field, there are still safety concerns. I hope that my research will lead to robots and humans being able to coexist safely.Ìý

What project are you focusing on for the fellowship?

I have so many projects I am excited about! Right now, I’m working on a multi-agent robotic exploration project where a team of two robots works together to explore and map an environment. After that, I plan to focus on new projects that incorporate Vision Language Models into navigation and decision-making for mobile robots.Ìý

Can you share how your robotic exploration project hopes to open new lifesaving discoveries?Ìý

The idea for the multi-agent robot pair exploration project comes from domains like search and rescue or even extraterrestrial exploration. The robot team we’re using consists of an aerial vehicle and ground vehicle. The aerial vehicle can scout ahead of the ground vehicle, looking for signs of a missing person, alerting the ground vehicle of dangerous terrain traps or in the case of extraterrestrial exploration, notifying the ground vehicle of an interesting location to do a scientific task like sample recovery. The goal is to speed up the information gathering process and to help avoid catastrophic navigation failures. In search and rescue scenarios, time is of the essence. If we can search, locate and navigate to someone more efficiently, it could be life saving.

We are working on an algorithm to do this type of information sharing more efficiently so that we can improve the resource utilization for the aerial platform. We are hoping that the project leads to some exciting robotics field work where we prove our algorithm in an abandoned mine or other cave-like environment using real hardware rather than just evaluating it in simulation.

What does earning this fellowship mean to you and what most excites you about it?Ìý

It’s hard to put into words just how much this means to me. Like so many others, I have struggled with imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Being awarded this fellowship makes me feel like the hard work I put in has been seen and recognized. I am really excited for the opportunity to focus solely on my research and not have to worry about changing funding sources. Typically, we are juggling work on other research grants or teaching responsibilities in addition to our own research projects. With a fellowship, you get to focus solely on your research which is really freeing!

What has been one of the most fulfilling experiences for you here at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ?Ìý

I’ve really enjoyed getting to know other PhD students and faculty, both in my lab and in other labs around campus. I have met so many smart, funny, kind and inspiring people who I would not have met if I hadn’t been accepted to grad school here. There’s a collaborative spirit at ÂÌñ»»ÆÞ that is pretty unique. It encourages us to see each other as collaborators not competitors and that has made the experience of being here on campus fulfilling and enriching in a way I couldn’t have predicted.

What's next for you after completing your PhD?

I hope to continue my research as an industry researcher or tenure-track faculty member at a research institution. I think both roles would be fulfilling in their own ways. I haven’t decided which would be the best fit yet.

What are some hobbies that keep you grounded while not researching?

I love the typical Boulder hobbies like skiing and trail running, but I’m also a member of the CU Gymnastics Club! Gymnastics is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but it has helped me build strength and mental resilience. When I feel stuck in my research, I go to practice to unwind and celebrate new skills I’ve learned. Somehow it always cheers me up to jump on a trampoline and flip around!

Any words of wisdom for students looking at a STEM field?Ìý

I think I’d like readers, especially those who are struggling with their education, to know that you don’t have to be perfect. You can fail at things, make countless mistakes, still succeed and achieve things you never thought possible. Just don’t give up.