Research Team

Kerstin Dautenhahn

Professor, Canada 150 Research Chair in Intelligent Robotics, and Director of the Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Laboratory (SIRRL)

Since August 2018 Kerstin Dautenhahn has been Canada 150 Research Chair in Intelligent Robotics at University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. She has a joint appointment in the Departments of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Systems Design Engineering and is cross-appointed with the David R. Cheriton School of Computer Science at University of Waterloo. She is Visiting Professor at the University of Hertfordshire, UK. At Waterloo, she is director of the Social and Intelligent Robotics Research Laboratory (SIRRL). The main areas of her research are Human-Robot Interaction, Social Robotics, Assistive Technology and Artificial Life.

Chrystopher L. Nehaniv

Professor, Co-Director

Chrystopher Nehaniv is a Mathematician, Computer Scientist, Complex Adaptive Systems Researcher, and, since August 2018, Full Professor in the Departments of Systems Design Engineering and of Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.

Samira Rasouli

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. I'm interested in applying intelligent assistive technologies to health issues.

Adna Bliek

Postdoctoral Fellow

I am a postdoctoral researcher in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. My research focusses on improving the user experience during human-robot interaction working on a project that uses a social robot to support care for children with amblyopia. During my PhD at the FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg in Germany, I worked on changes in trust when training a robot and using cognitive models to study embodiment of robotic limbs.

Sahand Shaghaghi

PhD Student

My research focuses on the creation of visual capabilities for robotic platforms. Previously I have investigated anthropomorphic visual systems. Currently, I am exploring cognitive architectures that could enable robotic platforms with making memory informed vision-dominant decisions.

I am a PhD candidate in Systems Design Engineering Department. In my research I am borrowing from dramaturgy to design social robotic systems that can be used for fostering anti-bullying peer-support between children. I am also a Student Researcher at Robotics, Google Brian. 

Keith Rebello

PhD Student

I am a PhD student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. My research focuses on enhancing socially intelligent agents by making them more empathic, sensitive and interactive. I am interested in creating robots that can assist individuals with their mental health, through dialogue, understanding, and companionship.

Soomin Shin

PhD Student

I am currently pursuing my PhD in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. My primary research focus lies in utilizing robots to assist children facing various challenges, such as autism or domestic issues.

Soheil Khatibi

PhD Student

I am a Ph.D. student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. I completed my M.Sc. in Computer Science at Lakehead University, where my research focused on AI, Robotics, and Tactile Perception. My current research interests include AI, Robotics, and Human-Robot Teaching, with an emphasis on developing intelligent and adaptive robotic systems that can learn from and collaborate effectively with humans.

Ali Yamini

Research Associate

I graduated with a MASc degree specializing in Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. My research involved developing Mirrly, a novel humanoid robot, and conducting a study focused on compliance during recurrent tasks. I am currently a Research Associate at the Socially Intelligent Robotics Research Lab (SIRRL) focusing on using Mirrly for a clinical study.

Amr Hamdi

Research Associate

I am a recent Mechatronics graduate from Ain Shams University in Egypt. With a passion for robotics, humanoids, and human-robot interactions, I have embarked on a new academic journey by joining the Spring 2023 semester for a Master of Applied Science (MASc) program.

Priyank Avijeet

Research Associate

I am a Research Associate specializing in Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Waterloo. I hope to bring some new insights to the world of Social and Intelligent Robotics. I am particularly excited about the recent advancements in AI that will help us attain these Social objectives more and more autonomously.

Alicia Pan

MASc Student

I am an MASc student in the ECE department. I hope to leverage my hardware background and passion for user-centered design to contribute to the field of social robotics. My project focuses on using a social robot to support care for children with amblyopia. Please visit my personal website for more information.

Neil Fernandes

MASc Student

My primary goal is to develop safe and secure robots capable of interacting with humans in diverse scenarios. I'm particularly interested in creating methods that enhance robot intelligence, with a focus on reinforcement learning and large language models. I'm driven by the potential of robotics to improve human life and push the boundaries of technology. You can find out more about my projects on my website.

Golgisoo Jafari

MASc Student

I am an MASc student in the ECE department with focus in Pattern Analysis & Machine Intelligence. My research focuses on developing interactive, human-centered systems using social robots and large language models. Currently, I'm working on a project that leverages the Furhat robot to help optometry students enhance their communication skills through simulated patient interactions. 

Andreas Li

Undergraduate Researcher

I am a Mechatronics Engineering student passionate about designing and building robots. At SIRRL, I will be working on a project using Furhat robots as a communication tool to help optometry students enhance their interpersonal skills with patients.

Yulin Xia

Undergraduate Researcher

I am a Computer Engineering student and a Chinese international student, passionate about exploring the code logic behind how robots work and how software communicates with hardware. At SIRRL, I will be working on a project using Furhat robots to enhance communication skills.