Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Yiyang Sun Receives Young Investigator Program Award  

Yiyang Sun

Assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering Yiyang Sun has received the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award. She has been awarded for her research efforts and contributions to unraveling multi-modal interactions in fluid flows using modal analysis, a cutting-edge technique in analyzing and understanding intrinsic physics in unsteady aerodynamic problems. 

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the lead scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. It aims to improve the career development of young investigators while providing opportunities for discovery and research.  Recipients of this award have received a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in their respective fields and demonstrate outstanding ability and potential to conduct research for the AFRL. The AFOSR will award $21.5 million in grants to scientists and engineers across different U.S. research institutions.  

Sun’s research outcomes could have a significant impact on advancing the designs of aircraft with improved aerodynamic performance for challenging operation conditions. She will receive about a $450,000 grant in this award for three years to continue her research activities in unsteady aerodynamics. 

“I am so grateful for receiving this award from AFOSR as the recognition motivates me to continue contributing to aerospace engineering at Syracuse University and the field in general,” says Sun. “The College of Engineering and Computer Science and Mechanical and Aerospace Department have been amazingly supportive in helping me pursue my career and forming an engaging environment for my students to do great work.” 

Aoyi Luo

Areas of Expertise:

  • Solid Mechanics
  • Materials
  • Design and Manufacturing
  • Soft Robotics
  • Thermophysics

Dr. Luo’s research group specializes in leveraging the expertise in mechanics, materials, and computational methods including data-driven methods to address cutting-edge challenges in robotics, design, and manufacturing. The group’s research encompasses a diverse range of topics, including the design and analysis of microtransfer printing processes, the development of variable stiffness structures and mechanisms, the exploration of adhesion-based soft robotic grippers, and the creation of architected materials with tailored adhesion or fracture properties. By focusing on these research thrusts, the group aims to advance the understanding and application of mechanics and materials in robotics, enabling the development of innovative designs and manufacturing techniques.

Selected Publications:

  • Luo, A., Zhang, H. and Turner, K.T., 2022. Machine learning-based optimization of the design of composite pillars for dry adhesives, Extreme Mechanics Letters, 54, p.101695.
  • Luo, A., Pande, S.S., Turner, K.T., 2022. Versatile adhesion-based gripping via an unstructured variable stiffness membrane, Soft Robotics.
  • Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2022. Adhesion of beams with subsurface elastic heterogeneity. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 159, p.104713.
  • Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2021. Achieving enhanced adhesion through optimal stress distributions. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 156, p.104610.
  • Luo, A., and Turner, K.T., 2020. Mechanics of crack path selection in microtransfer printing: Challenges and opportunities for process control. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 143, p.104066.
  • Luo, A. §, Nasab, A.M. §, Tatari, M., Chen, S., Shan, W. and Turner, K.T., 2020. Adhesion of flat-ended pillars with non-circular contacts. Soft Matter, 16(41), pp.9534-9542. (§ represents co-first author)
  • Nasab, A.M. §, Luo, A. §, Sharifi, S., Turner, K.T. and Shan, W., 2020. Switchable adhesion via subsurface pressure modulation. ACS applied materials & interfaces, 12(24), pp.27717-27725. (§ represents co-first author)
  • Tan, D. §, Luo, A. §, Wang, X., Shi, Z., Lei, Y., Steinhart, M., Kovalev, A., Gorb, S.N., Turner, K.T. and Xue, L., 2020. Humidity-modulated core–shell nanopillars for enhancement of gecko-inspired adhesion. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 3(4), pp.3596-3603. (§ represents co-first author)
  • Luo, A. and Lior, N., 2017. Study of advancement to higher temperature membrane distillation. Desalination, 419, pp.88-100.
  • Luo, A. and Lior, N., 2016. Critical review of membrane distillation performance criteria. Desalination and Water Treatment, 57(43), pp.20093-20140.

Kasey Laurent

Degrees:

  • Ph.D. Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, Cornell University, 2023
  • B.S. Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, 2017

Research Interests:

  • Experimental Fluid Dynamics
  • Bio-Inspired Flight and Swimming
  • Bio-Inspired Noise Mitigation
  • UAV Flight Performance in Wind

Dr. Laurent’s research focuses on the role of turbulence and fluid dynamics on aerodynamic performance. She explores both biological and man-made vehicle flight. In her work studying golden eagles, she found a strong relationship between the motion of the bird and the small-scale turbulence experienced by the bird when soaring. These results indicate a need to fully incorporate an understanding of turbulence into our understanding of eagle movements, with implications for other natural and artificial fliers. In the Laurent Fluid Dynamics Lab, her research aims to find engineering solutions to challenges in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by exploring both biological flight and swimming.

Selected Publications:

Laurent, K. M., Fogg, B., Ginsburg, T., Halverson, C., Lanzone, M. J., Miller, T. A., … & Bewley, G. P. (2021). Turbulence explains the accelerations of an eagle in natural flight. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(23), e2102588118.

Laurent, K., La Ragione, L., Jenkins, J. T., & Bewley, G. P. (2022). How vertical oscillatory motion above a saturated sand bed leads to heap formation. Physical Review E, 105(5), 054901.


Yiyang Sun

Degrees:

  • Ph.D. Florida State University, Tallahassee, 2017
  • B.S. Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, 2012

Areas of Expertise:

  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Flow Control
  • Unsteady Aerodynamics
  • Modal Analysis 

Dr. Sun’s research interests focus on understanding the underlying physics of fluid flows and designing physics-driven control strategies using high-fidelity numerical simulations, modal/non-modal analysis, and data science. The ability to control fluid flow behaviors can lead to quiet, economical, and efficient systems in fluid mechanics and aerodynamics. Because of high dimensionality, strong nonlinearity, and complexity in fluid physics, the design of effective control strategies can be challenging. Dr. Sun’s research focuses on uncovering the underlying physics of complex fluid flows using the cutting-edge techniques of modal analysis, such as modal decomposition, stability analysis, and resolvent analysis. The insights obtained from these analyses provide guidance for physics-driven control designs. 

Honors and Awards:

  • AFOSR Young Investigator Award, 2024
  • Amelia Earhart Fellow, Zonta International, 2016

Selected Publications:

  • Thakor, M., Seh, K. H., Gladson, S. R., Fernandez, M. L., Ivany L. C., Green, M., and Sun, Y., “Effects of annulation on low-Reynolds-number flows over an orthocone,” Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 37, pp. 357-374, 2023. 
  • Yao, H., Sun, Y., and Hemati, M. S., “Feedback control of transitional shear flows: sensor selection for performance recovery,” Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Theoretical and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 36, pp. 597-626, 2022.
  • Liu, Q., Sun, Y., Ukeiley, L. S., Cattafesta, L. N., and Taira, K., “Unsteady control of supersonic turbulent cavity flow based on resolvent analysis,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 925, A5, 2021.
  • Sun, Y., Liu, Q., Cattafesta, L. N., Ukeiley, L. S., and Taira, K., “Resolvent analysis of compressible laminar and turbulent cavity flows,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 3, 2020.
  • Taira, K., Hemati, M. S., Brunton, S. L., Sun, Y., Duraisamy, K., Bagheri, S., Dawson, S. T. M., and Yeh, C-A., “Modal analysis of fluid flows: application and outlook,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 3, 2020.
  • Sun, Y., Liu, Q., Cattafesta, L. N., Ukeiley, L. S., and Taira, K., “Effects of sidewalls and leading-edge blowing on flows over long rectangular cavities,” AIAA Journal, Vol. 57, No. 1, pp. 106-119, 2019.
  • Edstrand, A. M., Sun, Y., Schmid, P. J., Taira, K., and Cattafesta, L. N., “Active attenuation of a trailing vortex inspired by a parabolized stability analysis,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 855, R2, 2018.
  • Sun, Y., Taira, K., Cattafesta, L. N., and Ukeiley, L. S., “Biglobal instabilities of compressible open-cavity flow,” Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 826, pp. 270-301, 2017.

Wanliang Shan

Degrees:

  • Ph.D. Princeton University
  • B.E. University of Science & Technology of China (USTC)

Areas of Expertise:

  • Solid Mechanics
  • Materials Engineering
  • Soft Robotics
  • Machine Learning
  • Thermophysics

Lab/Center Affiliation:

  • BioInspired Institute

Current Research:

Shan Research Group (SRG) focuses on interdisciplinary research in Smart, Hybrid, Active and Nature-inspired Materials, Mechanics, and Machines (SHAN 3M). Fundamental insights from solid mechanics, materials engineering, thermal science, and machine learning are emphasized for the design and fabrication of soft multifunctional materials and high-performance robotic mechanisms, which impact critical application domains such as soft robotics, biomedical devices, and wearable devices. The ultimate goal of SRG’s research is to improve human-machine-environment interactions. 

Teaching Interests:

  • Introduction to Robotics
  • Soft Robotics
  • Continuum Mechanics
  • Fracture Mechanics

Honors and Awards:

  • NSF Career Award (2023)
  • Graduate with Great Honor (magna cum laude), USTC (2006) 

Select Publications:

* for corresponding authors. ◦ for co-first authors.

  • C. Zhao, K.T. Wan*, W.L. Shan*, Progressive Adhesion Mechanics of Elastomeric Shells against a Rigid Substrate: from Thin to Thick, Extreme Mechanics Letters, 68:102140, 2024.
  • G. Wan, W.L. Shan*, Pneumatically Tunable Adherence of Elastomeric Soft Hollow Pillars with Non-Circular Contact, International Journal of Solids and Structures, 294:112736, 2024.
  • G. Wan, Y. Tang, K.T. Turner, T. Zhang*, W.L. Shan*, Tunable Dry Adhesion of Soft Hollow Pillars through Sidewall Buckling under Low Pressure, Advanced Functional Materials, 33(2):2209905, 2023.
  • C. Zhao, X. Chen, W.L. Shan*, K.T. Wan*, Adherence of a Hyperelastic Shell on a Rigid Planar Substrate. International Journal of Solids and Structures, 236:111351, 2022.
  • A. Mohammadi Nasab, A. Luo, P. Stampfli, S. Sharifi, K.T. Turner*, W.L. Shan*, Dynamically Tunable Dry Adhesion Through a Subsurface Thin Layer with Tunable Stiffness. Advanced Materials Interfaces, 9(7):2102080, 2022.
  • S. Sharifi, C. Rux, N. Sparling, G. Wan, A. Mohammadi Nasab, A. Siddaiah, P. Menezes, T. Zhang, W.L. Shan*, Dynamically Tunable Friction via Subsurface Stiffness Modulation, Frontiers in Robotics and AI, 8:691789, 2021.
  • A. Mohammadi Nasab, S. Sharifi, S. Chen, W.L. Shan*, Robust three-component elastomer-particle-fiber composites with tunable properties for soft robotics, Advanced Intelligent Systems, 3:2000166, 2021.
  • A. Mohammadi Nasab, A. Luo, S. Sharifi, K.T. Turner*, W.L. Shan*, Soft Gripping Device Based on Pneumatics-Modulated Tunable Dry Adhesion, ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 2020.
  • A. Luo◦, A. Mohammadi Nasab◦, M. Tatari, S. Chen, W.L. Shan*, K.T. Turner*. Adhesion of flat-ended pillars with non-circular contacts, Soft Matter, 2020. Link
  • M. Tatari, A. Mohammadi Nasab, K.T. Turner*, W.L. Shan*, Dynamically Tunable Dry Adhesion via Sub-Surface Stiffness Modulation, Advanced Materials Interfaces, 5:1800321, 2018.
  • A. Mohammadi Nasab, D. Wang, Z. Chen, W.L. Shan*, Buckling Shape Transition of an Embedded Thin Elastic Rod after Failure of Surrounding Elastic Medium, Extreme Mechanics Letters, 15:51-56, 2017.
  • A. Mohammadi Nasab◦, A. Sabzehzar◦, M. Tatari, C. Majidi, W.L. Shan*, A Soft Gripper with Rigidity Tunable Elastomer Strips as Ligaments, Soft Robotics, 2017.
  • A. Tutcuoglu, C. Majidi*, W.L. Shan*, Nonlinear Thermal Parameter Estimation for Embedded Internal Joule Heaters, International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 97:12-421, 2016.

Amit K. Sanyal

Degrees:

  • Ph.D. (Aerospace Engineering, U of Michigan)
  • MS (Mathematics, U of Michigan)
  • MS (Aerospace Engineering, Texas A&M)
  • B. Tech. (Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur)

Lab/Center Affiliation:

  • Autonomous Unmanned Systems Laboratory (AUSL) at the Syracuse Center of Excellence

Areas of Expertise:

  • Geometric mechanics and its applications to robotics and control 
  • Geometric control of nonlinear systems 
  • Geometric observer design for nonlinear systems 
  • Guidance, navigation and control of aerospace vehicles 
  • Dynamics and control of autonomous vehicles 

Current Research:

My research develops technologies that increase the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles and robots working alongside humans. As the roles and uses of robots and autonomous vehicles are growing and expected to grow over the next several years, we need to ensure that they are safe and reliable when deployed for tasks benefitting human society. This is accomplished through design of nonlinearly stable and robust onboard guidance, navigation and control schemes that can be implemented onboard resource-constrained robotic platforms, using commercially available sensors and onboard processors. Research investigations undertaken in my lab include: (1) motion and relative motion estimation of autonomous unmanned aerial and ground vehicles, (2) data-enabled robust and stable control of single and multiple autonomous unmanned vehicles, and (3) spacecraft guidance, navigation and control for Earth-orbiting and deep space missions. 

Courses Taught:

Courses taught at NMSU from fall 2013 till spring 2015 are:

  • AE 362 (Orbital Mechanics)
  • ME 452 (Control System Design)
  • AE 561/ME 405 (Spacecraft Dynamics and Control)
  • AE/ME 527 (Control of Mechanical Systems)
  • AE/ME 529 (Nonlinear and Optimal Control)
  • ME 580 (Numerical Analysis II)

Courses taught at Syracuse University from fall 2015 are:

  • AEE 577 (Introduction to Space Flight)
  • MEE 725 (Advanced Engineering Dynamics)
  • MAE 312 (Engineering Analysis)
  • MAE 675 (Methods of Analysis)
  • MAE 728 (Geometric and Optimal Control)
  • AEE 630 (Spacecraft Dynamics and Control)
  • MAE 628 (Linear Systems)

Honors and Awards: 

  • 2001 Distinguished Graduate Student Masters Research Award, Texas A & M University.  
  • 2002 College of Engineering Fellowship, University of Michigan. 
  • 2003 Engineering Academic Scholar Certificate, College of Engineering, University of Michigan. 
  • 2012 Summer Faculty Fellow, Air Force Research Laboratory. 
  • 2015 Senior Member, AIAA and IEEE. 
  • 2021 Associate Fellow, AIAA. 
  • 2024 Visiting Faculty Research Fellow, Air Force Research Laboratory. 

Recent Research Awards:

  • CPS: Small: NSF-DST: Autonomous Operations of Multi-UAV Uncrewed Aerial Systems using Onboard Sensing to Monitor and Track Natural Disaster Events, NSF, 3/1/2024 to 2/28/2027, PI, $453,372.
  • Collaborative Research: NRI: Integration of Autonomous UAS in Wildland Fire Management, NSF (with Ohio State), 1/1/2022 to 12/31/2025, PI at Syracuse University, $536,983.
  • A Platform-Independent Flight Management Unit for Small UAS, Akrobotix LLC (flow through from NSF SBIR Phase 1), 2/1/2020 to 04/30/2021, PI, $31,981.
  • Reliable Perception and Control for UAV Navigation in 3D Space, Semiconductor Research Corporation, 2/1/2019 to 1/31/2022, Co-PI, $299,638.
  • Enabling Multimodal Sensing, Real-time Onboard Detection and Adaptive Control for Fully Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems, NSF Cyber-Physical Systems, 8/15/2017 to 8/14/2020, Co-PI, $600,000.

Selected Publications:

  1. N. Wang, R. Hamrah, A. K. Sanyal and M. Glauser, “Geometric Extended State Observer on TSE(3) with Fast Finite-Time Stability: Theory and Validation on a Rotorcraft Aerial Vehicle,” under revision for Aerospace Engineering Science and Technology.  
  2. N. Wang, R. Hamrah and A. K. Sanyal, “Robust and H¨older-continuous finite-time stabilization of rigid body attitude dynamics using rotation matrices,” American Control Conference, Toronto, Canada, July 2024.  
  3. A. Dongare, R. Hamrah, and A. K. Sanyal, “Finite-time Stable Pose Estimation on SE(3) using Onboard Optical Sensors,” AIAA SCITECH 2024 Forum, Orlando, FL, Jan 2024.  
  4. M. Bhatt, A. Sanyal, and S. Sukumar, “Asymptotically Stable Optimal Multi-rate Rigid Body Attitude Estimation based on Lagrange-d’Alembert Principle,” Journal of Geometric Mechanics, vol. 15(1), pp. 73-97, 2023.  
  5. H. Eslamiat, N. Wang, R. Hamrah, and A. K. Sanyal, “Geometric Integral Attitude Control on SO(3),” Electronics, vol. 11(18), pn. 2821, 2022.  
  6. P. Cruz, P. Batista, and A. Sanyal, “Design and analysis of attitude observers based on the Lagrange-d’Alembert principle applied to constrained three-vehicle formations,” Advances in Space Research, vol. 69 (11), pp. 4001-4012, 2022.  
  7. M. Bhatt, S. Sukumar, and A. K. Sanyal, “Discrete-Time Rigid Body Pose Estimation Based on Lagrange–d’Alembert Principle,” Journal of Nonlinear Science, vol. 32, pn. 86, 2022.  
  8. A. K. Sanyal, “Data-Driven Discrete-time Control with H¨older-Continuous Real-time Learning,” International Journal of Control, vol. 95(8), pp. 2175-2187, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00207179.2021.1901993; arXiv version available at: https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.05288.  
  9. R. Hamrah and A. K. Sanyal, “Finite-time stable tracking control for an underactuated system in SE(3) in discrete time,” International Journal of Control, vol. 95 (4), pp. 1106-1121, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00207179.2020.1841299.  
  10. R. Hamrah, R. R. Warier, and A. K. Sanyal, “Finite-time stable estimator for attitude motion in the presence of bias in angular velocity measurements,” Automatica, vol. 132(10), 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.automatica.2021.109815.  
  11. X. Li, R. R. Warier, A. K. Sanyal, and D. Qiao, “Trajectory Tracking Near Small Bodies Using Only Attitude Control and Orbit-Attitude Coupling,” AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics, vol. 42(1), 2019, doi: 10.2514/1.G003653.  
  12. S. P. Viswanathan and A. K. Sanyal, “Adaptive Singularity-Free Control Moment Gyroscopes,” AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics, vol. 41(11), 2018, doi: 10.2514/1.G003545.  
  13. S. P. Viswanathan, A. K. Sanyal and E. Samiei, “Integrated Guidance and Feedback Control of Underactuated Robotics System in SE(3),” Journal of Intelligent & Robotic Systems, vol. 89, pp. 251-263, 2018, doi: 10.1007/s10846-017-0547-0.  
  14. A. K. Sanyal and M. Izadi, “Stable Estimation of Rigid Body Motion Based on the Lagrange-d’Alembert Principle,” in Multisensor Attitude Estimation: Fundamental Concepts and Applications, pp. 57-76, 2016, ed.: H. Fourati, CRC Press (Taylor and Francis), FL.  
  15. M. Izadi and A. K. Sanyal, “Rigid Body Pose Estimation based on the Lagrange-d’Alembert Principle,” Automatica, vol. 71(9), pp. 78-88, 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.automatica.2016.04.028. 
  16. S. P. Viswanathan, A. K. Sanyal, F. Leve and N. H. McClamroch, “Dynamics and Control of Spacecraft with a Generalized Model of Variable Speed Control Moment Gyroscopes,” ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, vol. 137(7), paper 071003, 2015, doi: 10.1115/1.4029626.  
  17. A. K. Sanyal and J. Bohn, “Finite Time Stabilization of Simple Mechanical Systems using Continuous Feedback,” International Journal of Control, vol. 88(4), pp. 783-791, 2015.  
  18. D. Lee, A. Sanyal, E. Butcher and D. Scheeres, “Almost Global Asymptotic Tracking Control for Spacecraft Body-Fixed Hovering near an Asteroid,” Aerospace Science and Technology, vol. 38, pp. 105-115, 2014.  
  19. M. Izadi and A. K. Sanyal, “Rigid Body Attitude Estimation Based on the Lagrange-d’Alembert Principle,” Automatica, vol. 50(10), pp. 2570-2577, 2014.  
  20. A. K. Sanyal and A. Goswami, “Dynamics and Balance Control of the Reaction Mass Pendulum (RMP): A 3D Multibody Pendulum with Variable Body Inertia,” ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement and Control, vol. 136(2), paper 021002, 2014.  
  21. A. K. Sanyal and N. Nordkvist, “Attitude State Estimation with Multi-Rate Measurements for Almost Global Attitude Feedback Tracking,” AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control and Dynamics, vol. 35(3), pp. 868-880, 2012.  
  22. A. M. Bloch, P. E. Crouch, N. Nordkvist and A. K. Sanyal, “Embedded geodesic problems and optimal control for matrix Lie groups,” Journal of Geometric Mechanics, vol. 3(2), pp. 197-223, 2011.  
  23. N. A. Chaturvedi, A. K. Sanyal, and N. H. McClamroch, “Rigid Body Attitude Control: Using rotation matrices for continuous, singularity-free control laws,” IEEE Control Systems Magazine, vol. 31(3), pp. 30-51, 2011.  
  24. A. K. Sanyal, N. Nordkvist and M. Chyba, “An Almost Global Tracking Control Scheme for Maneuverable Autonomous Vehicles and its Discretization,” IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, vol. 56(2), pp. 457-462, 2011.  
  25. A. K. Sanyal, A. M. Bloch, P. E. Crouch, and J. E. Marsden, “Optimal Control and Geodesics on Quadratic Matrix Lie Groups,” Foundations of Computational Mathematics, vol 8(4), pp. 469-500, 2008. 

Garrett Ethan Katz

Degrees:

  • B.A. Philosophy, Cornell University, 2007
  • M.A. Mathematics, City College of New York, 2011
  • Ph.D. Computer Science, University of Maryland, College Park, 2017

Areas of Expertise:

  • Automated Planning and Reasoning
  • Robotic Manipulation and Imitation Learning
  • Neuro-Symbolic Programming
  • Numerical Path Following and Optimization

Current Research:

My research focuses on “vertically integrated” artificial intelligence, ranging from low-level robotic motor control and synaptic learning rules to high-level planning and abstract reasoning. My recent work has focused on single-pass learning, automated algorithm discovery, and neuro-symbolic robotic control.

Honors and Awards:

  • Best Paper Award at the 18th International Conference on Augmented Cognition at HCII, 2024
  • Best Paper Award at the SAI Computing Conference, 2020
  • Larry S. Davis Doctoral Dissertation Award, UMD, 2018
  • Best Student Paper Award at the 9th International Conference on Artificial General Intelligence 2016

Selected Publications:

  • Liu R, He B, Tahir N, Katz GE. On the Feasibility of Single-Pass Full-Capacity Learning in Linear Threshold Neurons with Binary Input Vectors. In Forty-first International Conference on Machine Learning (ICML). 2024. PMLR.
  • Katz GE, Tahir N. Towards Automated Discovery of God-Like Folk Algorithms for Rubik’s Cube. In 2022 AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence. AAAI.
  • Katz GE, Akshay, Davis GP, Gentili RJ, Reggia JA. Tunable Neural Encoding of a Symbolic Robotic Manipulation Algorithm. Frontiers in Neurorobotics. 2021:167.
  • Tahir N, Katz GE. Numerical Exploration of Training Loss Level-Sets in Deep Neural Networks. In 2021 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN) 2021 (pp. 1-8). IEEE.
  • Katz GE, Reggia JA. Using directional fibers to locate fixed points of recurrent neural networks. IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and Learning Systems. 2017 Aug 24;29(8):3636-46.

Zhenyu Gan

Lab/ Center/ Institute affiliation:

  • Dynamic Locomotion and Robotics Lab, Syracuse University
  • Form & Function Focus Group Leader, BioInspired Institute
  • Senior Research Associate, Autonomous Systems Policy Institute

Areas of Expertise:

  • Gait Analysis
  • Legged Locomotion
  • Robotics
  • Multibody Dynamics
  • Trajectory Optimization

Dr. Gan’s general research interests lie at the intersection of robotics and nonlinear dynamics. He enjoys studying systems with interesting dynamical behavior and applying the resulting knowledge to robotic systems such as legged robots and robotic exoskeletons.

Honors and Awards:

  • The First Prize in Design, Engineering Graduate Symposium Award (2013)
  • The First Prize in National Advanced Graphical Skills and Innovations Contest (2010)
  • National Scholarship, China (2009)

Selected Publications:

  • Alqaham, Yasser G., Jing Cheng, and Zhenyu Gan. “Energetic Analysis on the Optimal Bounding Gaits of Quadrupedal Robots.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2303.04861 (Accepted by RA-L 2024).
  • Ding, Jiayu, and Zhenyu Gan. “Breaking symmetries leads to diverse quadrupedal gaits.” IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (2024).
  • Cheng, Jing, et al. “Practice Makes Perfect: an iterative approach to achieve precise tracking for legged robots.” 2023 American Control Conference (ACC). IEEE, 2023.
  • Gan, Zhenyu, et al. “All common bipedal gaits emerge from a single passive model.” Journal of The Royal Society Interface 15.146 (2018): 20180455.
  • Gan, Zhenyu, et al. “Passive dynamics explain quadrupedal walking, trotting, and tölting.” Journal of computational and nonlinear dynamics 11.2 (2016): 021008.