Resume

This is a pdf version of my resume and cv. The rest of this page presents the same material in HTML format. This resume is up to date as of March 2018. Please take note of the date this resume was updated and send me an email if you're interested in a more recent version.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Ph.D., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Fall 2014 - Winter 2019

  • Advisors: Prof. Leslie Kaelbling and Prof. Tomas Lozano Perez.
  • Completed minor: Mechanical Engineering/Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • Primary research area of planning robust robotic manipulation methods. Completed a variety of projects including: reinforcement learning for bi-manual grasping, multi-robot planning under uncertainty, and reliable robotic assembly methods. Each listed research project has been successfully demonstrated on a real robot (Willow Garage PR2 and TurtleBots).

S.M., Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Fall 2012 - Spring 2014

  • Advisors: Prof. Leslie Kaelbling and Prof. Tomas Lozano Perez.
  • Masters Thesis: Learning a Strategy for Whole Arm Grasping
  • GPA: 4.9/5.0

  • Relevant Coursework

  • 6.867: Machine Learning 6.831: User Interface Design and Implementation
    6.375: Design of Complex Digital Systems 6.852: Distributed Algorithms
    16.31: Feedback and Control Systems 2.166 Autonomous Vehicles

University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA

B. S., Computer Engineering, Fall 2008 - Spring 2012

  • University of California Regent Scholar
  • University Honors: Summa Cum Laude
  • Department Honors: Highest Honors in the major
  • Senior Design Capstone Project: Team project to improve the performance of arithmetic functions for Oracle numbers within the Oracle Database; this software development project was completely done in C on x86 and ARM processors using code profilers to find performance bottle necks and applying vectorized hardware instructions (SSE) and different number representations to achieve speedup.
  • GPA: 3.96/4.00

  • Relevant Coursework

  • CMPE 215: Models of Robotic Manipulation CMPE 118: Introduction to Mechatronics
    CMPE 121: Microprocessor System Design CMPE 110: Computer Architecture
    CMPE 100: Logic Design EE 101: Electornic Circuits
    AMS 114: Introduction to Dynamical Systems EE 103: Signals and Systems
    EE 154: Feedback Control Systems CMPS 101: Algorithms and Abstract Data Types

Amato, C., G.D. Konidaris, A. Anders, G. Cruz, J.P. How, and L.P. Kaelbling. 2015. “Policy Search for Multi-Robot Coordination Under Uncertainty.” In Robotics: Science and Systems Xi (Rss). http://lis.csail.mit.edu/pubs/amato-konidaris-rss15.pdf.

Amato, Christopher, George Konidaris, Ariel Anders, Gabriel Cruz, Jonathan P How, and Leslie P Kaelbling. 2017. “Policy Search for Multi-Robot Coordination Under Uncertainty.” The International Journal of Robotics Research 35 (14):1760–78. http://lis.csail.mit.edu/pubs/amato-ijrr17.pdf.

Anders, Ariel. 2018. “Robot Juggling.” In EAAI-18: The 8th Symposium on Educational Advances in Artificial Intelligence. http://modelai.gettysburg.edu/2018/juggling/.

Anders, Ariel S., Leslie P. Kaelbling, and Tomas Lozano-Perez. 2018. “Reliably Arranging Objects in Uncertain Domains.” In IEEE Conference on Robotics and Automation (Icra). To Appear.

Anders, Ariel S., and Jacob Rosen. 2012. “Dynamic Registration for Dental Robotics.” In National Society of Black Engineers Technical Proceedings. Vol. 38.

Anders, Ariel, Leslie Kaelbling, and Tomas Lozano-Perez. 2017. “Planning Robust Strategies for Constructing Multi-Object Arrangements.” CSAIL MIT. https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/108510.

Anders, Ariel, and Sertac Karaman. 2017. “Visual Servoing.” In EAAI-17: The 7th Symposium on Educational Advances in Artificial Intelligence. http://modelai.gettysburg.edu/2017/visual-servo/index.html.

Karaman, Sertac, Ariel Anders, Michael Boulet, Jane Connor, Kenneth Gregson, Winter J Guerra, Owen Guldner, et al. 2017. “Project-Based, Collaborative, Algorithmic Robotics for High School Students: Programming Self-Driving Race Cars at MIT.” In 2017 Ieee Integrated Stem Education Conference (Isec) (Isec’17). Princeton, USA. http://lis.csail.mit.edu/pubs/anders-isec-17.pdf.

Preston, Daniel J., Ariel Anders, Banafsheh Barabadi, Evelyn Tio, Yangying Zhu, DingRan Annie Dai, and Evelyn N. Wang. 2016. “Electrowetting-on-Dielectric Actuation of a Vertical Translation and Angular Manipulation Stage.” Applied Physics Letters 109 (24):244102. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4971777.

Preston, Daniel J., Ariel Anders, Banafsheh Barabadi, Evelyn Tio, Yangying Zhu, DingRan Annie Dai, and Evelyn N. Wang .2017. “Electrowetting-on-Dielectric Actuation of a Spatial and Angular Manipulation Mems Stage.” In The 30th Ieee International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (Mems 2017). http://lis.csail.mit.edu/pubs/preston-mems17.pdf.

Lead Technology Developer, LEAC

MIT Cambridge, MA January 2017- Present

  • The Lab Energy Assessment Center (LEAC) provides low cost and minimally invasive tools to detect and analyze energy inefficiencies. I develop scalable software for wireless power monitoring for tools. All software is available open source at https://github.com/leac-mit.

  • See https://leac.mit.edu for more information

Software Engineering Intern, Intel

Santa Clara, CA Summer 2014

  • Responsibilities included designing, writing, testing, and documenting design automation software that uses machine learning techniques to determine proper and efficient simulation points. These simulation points are used during architecture analysis of future Intel Architecture based products and platforms.

Undergraduate Researcher, Bionics Lab

UCSC Santa Cruz, CA Summer 2010 - 2012

  • Advisor: Jacob Rosen (Now at UCLA)

  • Research focus: CAD/CAM applications in dentistry, autonomous control with mechanical systems, and UI development for robotic programs.

  • Developed a workflow to execute dental crowning and implant placement procedures on static dental models that I verified experimentally. Worked on a system to implement dynamic dental procedures.

ENGR 2340: Dynamics Lecturer

Olin College of Engineering Fall 2018

  • Course Description: With an emphasis on understanding fundamental concepts, students will learn to create and analyze mathematical models for mechanical and electromechanical systems that are changing in time. Equations of motion for 3D rigid bodies and systems will be derived using conservation of momentum and energy methods. Concepts involving equilibrium, linearization, and stability will be applied to study dynamic response in both the time and frequency domains through time-integration, transfer function, and state-space analysis. The idea of feedback control is introduced. Coursework and projects will involve examples such as robots, mechanisms, vehicles, and aircraft/spacecraft.

Beaverworks Summer Institute Technical Instructor

BeaverWorks Summer 2017

  • The Autonomous Mini Grand Prix, is a hands-on, intensive, project-based challenge that demonstrates autonomous mini racecar navigation in a complex environment. In project teams students will use their own RACECAR (Rapid Autonomous Complex- Environment Competing Ackermann-steering Robot), complete with sensors and a NVIDIA computer running on ROS (Robot Operating System), to Move! Explore! Learn! Race! As one of the technical instructors, I provide lectures, lead laboratory exercises, and assist in creating curriculum for the course.

6.141 Robotics: Science and Systems I Teaching Assistant

MIT Spring 2017

  • Course Description: Presents concepts, principles, and algorithms for sensing and computation related to the physical world. Topics include motion planning, geometric reasoning, kinematics and dynamics, state estimation, tracking, map building, manipulation, human-robot interaction, fault diagnosis, and embedded system development. Students specify and design a small-scale yet complex robot capable of real-time interaction with the natural world.

Beaverworks Summer Institute Lead Associate Instructor

BeaverWorks Summer 2016

  • The MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is a 4-week residential STEM-based program for talented rising high school seniors (entering the 12th grade). This years exciting project is the MIT Mini Grand Prix Challenge, a hands-on, intensive 4-week program that will focus on demonstrating fast, autonomous navigation of small racecars in a complex environment. As lead associate instructor I lead a team of 6 associate instructors during the lab portions of the course. Additionally, I assisted in creating lab curriculum throughout the course and lead the material creation for the computer vision session of the course. See racecar.mit.edu for more details.

6.141 Robotics: Science and Systems I Teaching Assistant

MIT Spring 2016

  • Course Description: Presents concepts, principles, and algorithms for sensing and computation related to the physical world. Topics include motion planning, geometric reasoning, kinematics and dynamics, state estimation, tracking, map building, manipulation, human-robot interaction, fault diagnosis, and embedded system development. Students specify and design a small-scale yet complex robot capable of real-time interaction with the natural world.

  • Course TA for the first time this course was offered with the new RACECAR platform

6.01 Intro to EECS Teaching Assistant

MIT Spring 2015

  • Course Description: An integrated introduction to electrical engineering and computer science, taught using substantial laboratory experiments with mobile robots. Key issues in the design of engineered artifacts operating in the natural world: measuring and modeling system behaviors; assessing errors in sensors and effectors; specifying tasks; designing solutions based on analytical and computational models; planning, executing, and evaluating experimental tests of performance; refining models and designs. Issues addressed in the context of computer programs, control systems, probabilistic inference problems, circuits and transducers, which all play important roles in achieving robust operation of a large variety of engineered systems.

Math 3 Precalculus Teaching Assistant

UCSC Spring 2010 & 2011, Fall 2011, Winter 2012

  • Course Description:Inverse functions and graphs; exponential and logarithmic functions, their graphs, and use in mathematical models of the real world; rates of change; trigonometry, trigonometric functions, and their graphs; and geometric series.

Math 2 College Algebra for Calculus Teaching Assistant

UCSC Fall 2009, Winter 2010

  • Course Description: Operations on real numbers, complex numbers, polynomials, and rational expressions; exponents and radicals; solving linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; functions, algebra of functions, graphs; conic sections; mathematical models; sequences and series.

Math 2 Stretch Teaching Assistant

UCSC Fall 2010 - Winter 2011

  • Course Description: This two-credit, stretch course offers students two quarters to master material covered in course 2: operations on real numbers, complex numbers, polynomials, and rational expressions; exponents and radicals; solving linear and quadratic equations and inequalities; functions, algebra of functions, graphs; conic sections; mathematical models; sequences and series. After successful completion of this course in the first quarter, students enroll in course 2 the following quarter to complete the sequence and earn an additional 5 credits.

  • Course TA for the first time this course was offered

Academic Excellence Co-leader for Math 19A

UCSC Winter 2009

  • Course Title: Calculus for Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.

  • Course Description: The limit of a function, calculating limits, continuity, tangents, velocities, and other instantaneous rates of change. Derivatives, the chain rule, implicit differentiation, higher derivatives. Exponential functions, inverse functions, and their derivatives. The mean value theorem, monotonic functions, concavity, and points of inflection. Applied maximum and minimum problems. Inverse functions and graphs; exponential and logarithmic functions, their graphs, and use in mathematical models of the real world; rates of change; trigonometry, trigonometric functions, and their graphs; and geometric series.

  • See http://ace.ucsc.edu for more details.

Academic Excellence Co-leader for Math 3

UCSC Fall 2008

  • Course Title: Precalculus

  • Course Description:Inverse functions and graphs; exponential and logarithmic functions, their graphs, and use in mathematical models of the real world; rates of change; trigonometry, trigonometric functions, and their graphs; and geometric series.

  • See http://ace.ucsc.edu for more details.

Girls in Engineering Robotics Instructor

UCSC Summer 2009

  • Summercamp for middle school girls to learn how to program Lego Mindstorm Robots. Prepared course material on programming the robots and an introduction to Processing.

Graduate Research Fellowships

MIT Cambridge, MA

  • GEM Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship Sponsored by Intel, Summer 2014

  • Edwin S. Webster Graduate Fellowship in Electrical Engineering, Spring 2013

  • Lemelson Minority Graduate Fellowship, Fall 2012

Undergraduate Research Fellowships

UCSC Santa Cruz, CA

  • Minority Access to Research Careers, Summer 2010- Spring 2012

  • Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Information Technology, Summer 2010.

Grant Recipient

  • 2017 Earth Day Mini Grant
    Award for developing new fume hood technologies, in partnership with LEAC at MIT.

  • 2017 MIT Green Labs Innovation Award
    $5000 Award received in collaboration with Daniel Preston and the Device Research Lab for developing most innovative technology to improve sustainability efforts at campus at MIT.

  • 2016 MIT EHS Green Labs Award
    Received $1000 in seed funding to create green lab technology. Award received in collaboration with Daniel Preston and the Device Research Lab.

  • MindHandHeart Innovation Fund Grant Recipient, Fall 2015
    “Removing SAD from Winter", Planning for public artificial lightbox locations on campus for people with Seasonal Affective Disorder

  • University Center of Exemplary Mentoring at MIT Scholar, Innaugural class of 2015.

Academic Honors and Scholarships

  • MIT EECS Frederick C. Hennie III Teaching Award, Spring 2017

  • MIT Graduate Women of Excellence, class of 2017 Honorees

  • University of California Regent Scholarship, Fall 2010-Spring 2012

  • Google Travel Scholarship for NSBE, Winter 2012

  • Mantey Undergraduate Leadership Award, Spring 2011

  • ARGV Scholarship, Spring 2010

  • Science Learning Community GPA Award, Spring 2009

  • Travel Scholarship Recipient for SACNAS, Fall 2008

Research Presentation Awards

  • 1st Place Poster Presentation, NSBE Technical Research Exhibit, NSBE Annual conference 2012

  • Special Merit in Research Award, 2011 CAMP Symposium

  • National Poster Presentation Award, 2010 ABRCMS Annual Conference

  • Best Poster Design, UCSC, 2010 Undergraduate Research Symposium

Tech Competitions

  • Boop, 4th place Assitive Technology Hackathon, Spring 2016

  • lingui-sense, 1st place at Make Cool Shmit, Spring 2016

  • Haptic++, 2nd place at Meet++ Hackathon, Spring 2016

  • Beer Bots, 2nd place at CSAIL Research Highlights, Spring 2015

Student Organization Activities

  • MIT EECS Robotic RAISINS Coordinator 2016

  • RoboCon 2016 Committee Chairperson

  • CSAIL Student Committee, President, AI Representative, Publicity Czar

  • MIT Concert Band, Vice President and Tour Manager

  • Ashdown House Officer, Coffee Hour Officer, Events Committee Officer

  • MIT EECS Prospective Students volunteer (Robotics RAISINS Organizer)

  • MIT Rowing Club, Avid Rower

  • MIT GSC Activities Committee, Committee Member

  • CSAIL Student Workshop 2012 & 2013, Committee Chairperson

  • UCSC National Society of Black Engineers, President (2 years), Peer Adviser

  • UCSC Society of Women Engineers , Treasurer, Undergrad Hardware Lab Representative

  • UCSC Tau Beta Pi, Corresponding Secretary, Exec. Board Member

Volunteer Activities

  • AAAI Student Volunteer 2017 and 2018

  • LIS Robot Tour Guide 2012-present

  • MIT EECS Student Visit Day Volunteer 2013-present

  • UCSC NSBE Math Boot Camp Tutor 2012

  • UCSC Google Student Ambassador 2009-2011

  • Mathematics Engineering and Science Achievement Judge 2009-2011

  • Expanding Your Horizons Conference Workshop Liaison 2009-2010

  • Languages  Python, C, C++, Java, Matlab, Perl, HTML, shell script, Javascript

  • Software  Robot Operating System, SolidWorks, Simics, BlueSpec, Wincaps

  • OSs  Unix, Linux, Mac, Windows

  • Robot platforms  Denso VM-series, PR2, TurtleBot, DuckieBot, 6.141 Racecar

  • Embedded Systems Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Jetson TX1 and TK1, Pandaboard, Microchip PIC 32, Virtex5 FPGA, and 68HC11E1 Microcontroller