Magnus Egerstedt
Professor and Stacey Nicholas Dean of Engineering
Dr. Magnus Egerstedt is the Dean of Engineering and a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine. Prior to joining UCI, Egerstedt was on the faculty at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received the M.S. degree in Engineering Physics and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics from the Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden, the B.A. degree in Philosophy from Stockholm University, and was a Postdoctoral Scholar at Harvard University. Dr. Egerstedt conducts research in the areas of control theory and robotics, with particular focus on control and coordination of multi-robot systems. Magnus Egerstedt is a Fellow of IEEE and IFAC, and is a Foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science. He has received a number of teaching and research awards, including the Ragazzini Award, the O. Hugo Schuck Best Paper Award, the Outstanding Doctoral Advisor Award and the HKN Outstanding Teacher Award from Georgia Tech, and the Alumni of the Year Award from the Royal Institute of Technology.
Efrain Mendez-Flores
Postdoctoral Researcher (Fall 2023 – PRESENT)
Dr. Efrain Mendez-Flores is a Postdoctoral researcher at the Robot Ecology Lab at the University of California, Irvine, under the supervision of Dr. Magnus Egerstedt and Dr. Brett Sanders. He received in 2016 a B.S. degree in Mechatronics Engineering with a Robotics concentration from the Tecnologico de Monterrey. After the B.S. degree, he oversaw electronics software and hardware R&D designs between 2017 and 2019, as part of a startup team dedicated to the design of power inverters and Embedded systems for the control of three-phase induction motors. Efrain received in 2021 the Ph.D. degree in Engineering Sciences from Tec de Monterrey, specialized in power electronics especially dealing with the development of MPPT and DC-DC converter’s optimized through metaheuristic algorithms. Efrain is passionate about the creation and development of prototypes and products, and in general for bringing ideas to life.
Brooks Butler
Postdoctoral Researcher (Fall 2024 – PRESENT)
Ruoyu Lin
PhD Student (Winter 2022 – PRESENT)
Ruoyu Lin is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine, advised by Dr. Magnus Egerstedt. He has a background in real analysis, differential geometry, and practical experience in 3D vision. Currently, his research focuses on exploring intriguing and challenging problems in robotics. Outside the lab, he has a passion for visual art, such as drawing, painting, and key animation.
Alex Nguyen
PhD Student (Fall 2022 – PRESENT)
Alex Nguyen is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of California, Irvine, under the joint supervision of Prof. Magnus Egerstedt and Prof. Faryar Jabbari. He received a B.S. degree with Honors in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.S. degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of California, Irvine. His research interests include control theory, optimization, and state estimation for heterogenous multi-robot system applications.
Saketh Karumuri
PhD Student (Fall 2023 – PRESENT)
Undergraduate Student (Winter 2022 – Spring 2023)
Saketh Karumuri is a Mechanical Engineering PhD student in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from UCI in 2023. His current research interests include reinforcement learning and collaboration.
Riwa Karam
PhD Student (Fall 2023 – PRESENT)
Riwa Karam is a Computer Engineering PhD student at the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. She graduated with a B.S. in Computer Engineering from the University of Balamand, Lebanon in June of 2023. She has a background in machine learning and software development through internships and previous experiences. Her research interests lie in control theory, autonomous systems, networked control systems, and robotic control systems.
Diana Morales
PhD Student (Fall 2024 – PRESENT)
Diana Morales is an Electrical Engineering PhD student at the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. She graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and Applied Math from California State Polytechnic University of Pomona in December 2023. Her research interests lie in instrumentation, signal processing, circuit design, and modeling to explore natural phenomena.
Agaton Pourshahidi
Undergraduate Student(Winter 2023 – PRESENT)
Agaton Pourshahidi is an undergraduate student majoring in Computer Science with a specialization in Intelligent Systems at UCI. With a keen interest in machine learning and its implications in robotics, Agaton actively engages in research projects exploring the intersection of these fields. As a member of the Robot Ecology Lab, Agaton contributes to advancing our understanding of artificial intelligence and its applications in real-world scenarios. Beyond academia, Agaton is also a dedicated member of the men’s soccer team at UCI.
Edison Ta
Undergraduate Student(Fall 2024 – PRESENT)
Edison Ta is an undergraduate student majoring in Mechanical Engineering at the Samueli School of Engineering, University of California, Irvine. He is passionate about mechanical design, prototyping, and robotics, with research interests that include, but are not limited to, autonomous systems, robotic control systems, and coverage mechanisms for heterogeneous multi-robot applications. Outside of the lab, he serves as a committee member for UCI ASME.
Ervin Grimaldi
Undergraduate Student(Fall 2024 – PRESENT)
Ervin Grimaldi is an undergraduate student in Computer Science and Engineering in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He has gained experience in Embedded Systems and Deep Learning through industry internships. His research interests include autonomous systems, distributed robotic systems, machine learning in robotics, and split computing. Outside the lab, Ervin is passionate about soccer, volleyball, quantum physics, and cinematography.
Former Members
Ryan Quach
Undergraduate Student (Fall 2022 – Spring 2024)
Ryan Quach is a Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in Management in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He has a passion for mechanical design, prototyping, and complex robotic systems. His research interests include but are not limited to: Swarm Autonomous Systems, Symbiotic Relationships, and Robotics Control Theory. Outside the lab, he loves to play Soccer, Volleyball, and Basketball, catch up on shows and movies, and work on his car.
Von Simmons
Undergraduate Student (Fall 2022 – Winter 2024)
Von Simmons is an Electrical Engineering student in the Samueli School of Engineering at the University of California, Irvine. He has a multi-disciplinary background beginning with a B.A. degree in Studio Art from the University of Maryland, College Park. His research interests lie in Symbiotic Autonomous Systems and Embodied Intelligence.
Jessica Tai
Undergraduate Student (Fall 2022 – Fall 2023)
Jessica Tai is a Computer Science and Engineering student in the Samueli School of Engineering and Bren School of ICS at the University of California, Irvine. She has a background in firmware through industry internships and previously leading the Electrical Team at UCI Solar Car. Her research interests include path planning and motion planning for autonomous systems.