Education
Harvard University
Advisor: Prof. Radhika Nagpal
PhD Candidate in Computer Science
MS in Computer Science
Imperial College London
Marshall Scholar
Advisors: Prof. Etienne Burdet, Dr. Ildar Farkhatdinov
Thesis: Assisting Balance Recovery with a Lower Limb Exoskeleton
Master of Research in Bioengineering, with Distinction
Northeastern University
GPA: 3.98, summa cum laude
Honors Thesis: Asymmetric Learning in an Asymmetric Bimanual Task
BS in Behavioral Neuroscience, Minor in Computer Science
Peer-Reviewed Publications
J Ebert, F Berlinger, B Haghighat, and R Nagpal. 2022. "A Hybrid PSO Algorithm for Multi-robot Target Search and Decision Awareness." In 2022 IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).
F Berlinger, J Ebert, and R Nagpal. 2022. "Impressionist Algorithms for Autonomous Multi-Robot Systems: Flocking as a Case Study." In 2022 IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).
B Haghighat, J Boghaert, Z Minsky-Primus, J Ebert, F Liu, M Nisser, A Ekblaw, and R Nagpal. 2022. "An Approach Based on Particle Swarm Optimization for Inspection of Spacecraft Hulls by a Swarm of Miniaturized Robots." In 13th International Conference on Swarm Intelligence (ANTS 2022).
B Haghighat, J Ebert, J Boghaert, A Ekblaw, and R Nagpal. 2022. "A Swarm Robotic Approach to Inspection of 2.5D Surfaces in Orbit." In 5th International Symposium on Swarm Behavior and Bio-Inspired Robotics (SWARM5).
J Ebert, M Gauci, F Mallmann-Trenn, and R Nagpal. 2020. "Bayes Bots: Collective Bayesian Decision-Making in Decentralized Robot Swarms." In 2020 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 7186-7192.
I Farkhatdinov, J Ebert, G van Oort, M Vlutters, E van Asseldonk, and E Burdet. 2019. "Assisting Human Balance in Standing with a Robotic Exoskeleton." IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 4, 2, 414–421. DOI: 10.1109/LRA.2018.2890671
J Ebert, M Gauci, and R Nagpal. 2018. "Multi-feature collective decision making in robot swarms." In Proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Autonomous Agents and MultiAgent Systems, 1711–1719. Stockholm, Sweden.
S Bazzi, J Ebert, N Hogan, and D Sternad. 2018. "Stability and Predictability in Dynamically Complex Physical Interactions." In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 5540–5545. DOI: 10.1109/ICRA.2018.8460774
S Bazzi, J Ebert, N Hogan, and D Sternad. 2018. "Stability and predictability in human control of complex objects." Chaos, 28, 10. DOI: 10.1063/1.5042090
Publications
See my
publications page.
Grants and Scholarships
Siebel Scholar, Class of 2021
Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship (DOE CSGF)
Northeastern Provost Undergraduate Advanced Research Award
Barry Goldwater Scholarship
Northeastern Provost Undergraduate Research Award
DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship
Northeastern Presidential Global Scholarship
Awards
Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, Harvard University Bok Center
Finalist, Hertz Fellowship
Honorable Mention, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)
Northeastern Honors in Behavioral Neuroscience (for thesis)
Northeastern University Honors Program Distinction (for coursework)
Northeastern Alex Skavenski Award for Behavioral Neuroscience
Northeastern Sears B. Condit Award for academic achievement
Northeastern Dean’s List (6 semesters)
Finalist; Rhodes, Fulbright, and Mitchell Scholarships
Research
For more information, see my
research page.
Harvard University Self-Organizing Systems Research Group
Prof. Radhika Nagpal
Perception and decision making in robot collectives
Developing a framework for collective spatial decision-making in both simulation and physical robot platforms, including developing a parallelized, high-throughput robot simulator. LARVAbot: Locomotion of autonomous robots via aggregation
Designing and manufacturing a collective of 3D-printed robots to perform aggregate locomotion, inspired by the movement of sawfly larvae. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Dr. Michael Schneider
Collaborative Autonomy for Space Situational Awareness
Designing multi-agent algorithms for orbit tracking and maneuver detection with satellite constellations. Internship: Simulating Space Situational Awareness Developed a simulator for testing collective orbit observation by low earth orbit satellite constellations.
Imperial College Human Robotics Group
Prof. Etienne Burdet and Dr. Ildar Farkhatdinov
Co-control of balance recovery in a lower limb exoskeleton
Developed algorithms for human-robot co-control of the LOPES exoskeleton in both standing a walking balance recovery, and tested with human participants. Northeastern University Action Lab
Prof. Dagmar Sternad
Prediction and stability in control of objects with complex dynamics
Programmed HapticMaster robot (C++) for human-subject experiments and conducted pilot experiments. Learning and long-term retention of an asymmetric bimanual task
Designed and programmed experiments to assess ability of humans to learn a motor task with rhythmic and discrete components. Conducted multi-month data collection (including with EEG) and analysed results (Matlab) for Honors thesis. Effects of central fatigue on cognitive and motor performance Analyzed data (Matlab) to assess the effect of a prolonged motor experiment on cognitive fatigue in human subjects.
Northeastern University Marine Science Center
Prof. Joseph Ayers
Neuro-inspired rheotaxis and antenna design in a robotic lobster Contributed to development of flex-sensing antennae for lobster-inspired robot. Developed neuron-based biomimetic control (LabView) for using antennae to adjust robot control in response to water currents.
Interactive Motion Technologies
Integrated stroke assessment software in rehabilitation robotics Developed a backend and interface (Python + Django) for integrating clinical stroke assesment tools into a rehabilitation robot.
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems
Prof. Stefan Schaal
Learning and exploration in a novel dimensionality-reduction task Designed a learning task in which subjects learned to map high-dimensional hand joint movements to move a 2D cursor, and conducted pilot experiments.
Conference Abstracts and Posters
J Ebert, M Gauci, and R Nagpal. 2019. "Bayes Bots: Bayesian Decision-Making for Robot Swarms." Poster at DOE CSGF Program Review (14–18 July 2019). Washington, DC.
J Ebert, J Meyers, W Dawson, and M Schneider. 2018. "Collaborative Autonomy for Space Situational Awareness." Poster at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Summer Student Poster Symposium (8 August 2018). Livermore, CA.
J Ebert, M Gauci, and R Nagpal. 2018. "Multi-Feature Collective Decision Making in Robot Swarms." Poster at DOE CSGF Program Review (15–19 July 2018). Washington, DC.
J Ebert, C Teeple, E Steinhardt, and S Ramanathan. 2017. "Infotaxis in a Multi-agent Sensor Network." Poster at DOE CSGF Program Review (24–27 July 2017). Washington, DC.
I Farkhatdinov, J Ebert, G van Oort, E van Asseldonk, and E Burdet. 2017. "Human Balance Augmentation with Lower Limb Exoskeleton Robot." Poster at RehabWeek 2017 workshop: Towards a next generation of wearable robotic devices for human-oriented assistance and therapy (17 July 2017). London, UK.
J Ebert, I Farkhatdinov, G van Oort, E van Asseldonk, and E Burdet. 2016. "Preliminary Study on Assisting Balance Recovery with Lower Limb Exoskeleton." Poster at EuroHaptics 2016 (4–7 July 2016). London, UK.
D Sternad, A Mukovskiy, J Ebert, and T Dijkstra. 2016. "Dynamic Stability in the Control of Complex Objects." Poster at Biomechanics and Neural Control of Movement 2016 (12–17 June 2016). Mt. Sterling, OH.
J Ebert, S Park, and D Sternad. 2015. "Asymmetric Learning in an Asymmetric Bimanual Task." Poster at Society for the Neural Control of Movement 25th Annual Meeting (20–24 April 2015). Charleston, SC.
J Ebert, A Mukovskiy, T Dijkstra, and D Sternad. 2015. "Why You Don't Spill Your Coffee." Poster at Northeastern University Research, Innovation, and Scholarship Expo (RISE) (9 April 2015). Boston, MA.
J Ebert, S Kim, D Sternad, and S Schaal. 2014. "Learning and exploration in a novel dimensionality-reduction task." Poster at Society for the Neural Control of Movement 24th Annual Meeting (20–25 April 2014). Amsterdam, NL.
J Ebert, S Park, and D Sternad. 2014. "Asymmetric Learning in an Asymmetric Bimanual Task." Poster at Northeastern University Research, Innovation, and Scholarship Expo (RISE) (10 April 2014). Boston, MA.
J Ebert, S Park, and D Sternad. 2013. "Asymmetric Learning in an Asymmetric Bimanual Task." Poster at Northeast Undergraduate Research and Development Symposium (2–3 March 2013). Biddeford, ME.
J Ebert, S Park, L Griffen, T O'Neil Pirozzi, and D Sternad. 2012. "Central Fatigue in Cognitive and Motor Performance." Poster at Northeastern University Research, Innovation, and Scholarship Expo (RISE) (29 March 2012). Boston, MA.
Teaching and Mentoring
Harvard University
REU mentor for Kilobot research and outreach project
Teaching staff, How To Make (Almost) Anything, Harvard section
Guest lecture, CS 289: Biologically-inspired Multi-agent Systems
Teaching fellow, CS 189: Autonomous Robot Systems
Northeastern University
Teaching assistant, CS 2500: Fundamentals of Computer Science (2 semesters)
Tutor, CS 2500: Fundamentals of Computer Science (3 semesters)
Undergraduate mentor, Proactive Recruitment in Science and Mathematics (PRISM)
Outreach and Service
Volunteer, Boston Public Schools Science Fair
Marshall Scholarship Reading Committee
Robot Design Judge, FIRST LEGO League
Speaker, Science in the News fall lecture series: "Brains and Bodies: How to Make Smart Robots"
Guest,
Brains On! science podcast live show
Volunteer, EuroHaptics 2016
Volunteer, Northeastern Civic Engagement Program
Student Ambassador, Northeastern College of Science
Tutor team leader, TechBoston Academy
Teacher, NEU Splash Program. Class: "This is your Brain"
Volunteer, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Mentor, Massachusetts General Hospital Youth Program
Skills
Python (including NumPy, Pandas, Django) • MATLAB • C/C++ (including OpenMP, AVR, Arduino) • HTML/CSS • LaTeX • JavaScript (including Vue.js) • Java
Laser cutting • 3D printing • Vinyl cutting • CNC milling • Electronics design (Eagle) and production • Soldering • Sewing • Molding and casting
Computer-aided design (OnShape) • Database design • Linux • 3D motion capture • Kinematic and EEG data collection in human subjects
Relevant Coursework
Biologically-inspired Multi-agent Systems • Distributed Systems • Machine Learning • Network Algorithms • Computational Neurodynamics • Artificial Intelligence • Robotics
Laboratory Electronics • How to Make (Almost) Anything • Biomimetics • Comparative Neurobiology • Human Neuroanatomy • Biochemistry • Genetics and Molecular Biology • Organic Chemistry
Stochastic Methods for Data Analysis, Inference, and Optimization • Biological Signal Processing • Statistics and Data Analysis • Multivariable Calculus • Linear Algebra • Differential Equations
Activities and Interests
See more of what I'm doing for fun on my
projects page.
Harvard University curling team • Imperial College and Goodenough College fencing clubs • Cycling
Northeastern University pep band, drumline, and wind ensemble • Clarinet • Saxophone • Percussion
3D printing • Web design and development • Graphic design • Writing • Baking
