Education
Harvard University
PhD Candidate in Computer Science
Department of Energy Computation Science Graduate Fellow (DOE CSGF) • Siebel Scholar • 3.96 GPA
Thesis: Distributed Perception and Decision-making for Inspection by Autonomous Robot Collectives
Imperial College London
Master of Research (MRes) in Bioengineering, with Distinction
Marshall Scholar
Thesis: Assisting Balance Recovery with a Lower Limb Exoskeleton
Northeastern University
BS in Behavioral Neuroscience, Minor in Computer Science
Goldwater Scholar • summa cum laude • 3.98 GPA
Skills
Algorithm development • Python • C/C++ (including embedded programming and Arduino) • Robot Operating System (ROS) • Linux • Git/version control • MATLAB • JavaScript
Computer-aided design (OnShape, Fusion 360) • Electronics design (Eagle) and production • 3D printing • CNC milling • Soldering • Laser cutting • Molding and casting
Research Experience
Harvard University Self-Organizing Systems Research Group, Prof. Radhika Nagpal
PhD research assistant
Developing a framework for collective spatial decision-making in simulated and physical robot collectives. Includes developing bio-inspired and Bayesian decision and movement algorithms, and robust low-bandwidth communication.
Created Kilosim, an open-source multi-robot simulator (C++) capable of efficiently simulating hundreds of robots at up to 1000x real time.
Collaborating with MIT Media Lab to create heterogeneous robot swarm for inspection on space stations, including algorithm development and hardware testing in microgravity (Zero-G flights).
Designing and manufacturing LARVAbot: a collective of bioinspired robots to perform aggregate locomotion. Includes electronic, mechanical, and algorithm design.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Dr. Michael Schneider
Summer internship, ongoing collaboration
Designing multi-agent algorithms for orbit tracking (space situational awareness, SSA) and maneuver detection with satellite constellations.
Programmed, refactored, and documented research codebase (Python) for SSA, now used extensively by SSA researchers at LLNL.
Developed a simulator and visualization tools (Python) for collective orbit observation by low earth orbit satellites.
Imperial College Human Robotics Group, Prof. Etienne Burdet and Dr. Ildar Farkhatdinov
Post-graduate research assistant
Developed algorithms for human-robot co-control of the LOPES exoskeleton in standing a walking balance recovery. Tested with human participants and modeled in Simulink.
Northeastern University Action Lab, Prof. Dagmar Sternad
Undergraduate research assistant, including 6-month co-op
Programmed HapticMaster robot (C++) and conducted human-subject experiments control of objects with complex dynamics, resulting in two publications.
Designed and programmed (Matlab) experiments to assess ability of humans to learn and retain a motor task with rhythmic and discrete components. Conducted multi-month data collection (including with EEG) and analyzed results for Honors thesis.
Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Prof. Stefan Schaal
Research co-op
Designed and programmed a learning task in which subjects learned to map high-dimensional hand joint movements to move a 2D cursor.
Conducted human subjects experiments and presented results at Neural Control of Movement conference.
Teaching & Mentoring Experience
Harvard University
Co-supervisor, ETH masters thesis on swarm inspection algorithms
Teaching staff, How To Make (Almost) Anything, Harvard section (3 semesters)
REU mentor for Kilobot research and outreach project
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)
Interests & Activities
NPR Brains On podcast guest • FIRST Lego League judge • Harvard Science in the News public lecture
Curling (Harvard club curling team) • Web design & development • Open source 3D print models
Publications
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
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
