As the NSF FRR PI Meeting and IROS 2026 are taking place, I’d like to take this chance to share some good news from my lab and announce our new Ph.D. and Postdoctoral researcher openings 😃 !
My lab has recently received four new research awards and support from New York State programs, Syracuse University, and OpenAI's academic researcher program. These projects will support our research in human-robot collaboration, robotic manipulation, and intelligent humanoids in construction 🤖. I would like to thank my colleagues, Kun-Hao Yu and Wanliang Shan, who are leading the two New York State-funded projects, respectively. I appreciate the opportunity to work with them on these interesting projects.
With these new projects, my lab has multiple openings for Ph.D. students and postdoctoral researchers, starting in Spring or Fall 2027. Please see the attached flyer for more information.
OVERALL DESCRIPTION:
The A-STAR Lab in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Syracuse University is seeking highly motivated researchers to join our growing team. Supported by several recently funded research projects and research support from NSF, NVIDIA, NYSERDA, NY-THRIVE, and OpenAI, we are currently recruiting two fully funded researchers. The openings are expected to be filled by either two Ph.D. students or one Ph.D. student and one postdoctoral researcher. The anticipated start date is Spring 2027 or Fall 2027.
The selected researchers will work with Dr. Yizhi Liu and other A-STAR Lab members on interdisciplinary research at the intersection of construction, robotics, and AI. Researchers will have chances to develop and evaluate intelligent robotic systems that can perceive, learn, interact with humans, and perform complex tasks in dynamic and unstructured construction environments.
QUALIFICATIONS:
We welcome applicants from diverse academic backgrounds, including Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Civil Engineering, and other closely related fields. Candidates with experience in robot control and motion planning, robotic manipulation, human-robot interaction, or robotic perception are particularly encouraged to apply. Experience with robotics and AI tools or related platforms would be beneficial.
Ph.D. applicants should meet the general requirements for doctoral admission to Syracuse University (https://ecs.syracuse.edu/academics/graduate-programs)
APPLICATION INSTRUCTION:
Interested candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. Yizhi Liu at yliu580@syr.edu. Please include an updated CV and a brief description of your research interests and relevant experience for joining the A-STAR Lab. Please indicate in your email whether you are interested in the Ph.D. or Postdoctoral position and your preferred start term (Spring 2027 or Fall 2027).
Beyond our lab, I also look forward to seeing the continued growth of AI and robotics research within the CEE Department at Syracuse University. These projects provide new opportunities to connect advances in robotics and AI with the unique challenges and needs of the construction and civil infrastructure.
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