KAUST Rising Stars in Robotics

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KAUST

The Rising Stars in Robotics Symposium will convene emerging researchers working across robotics to exchange research, build connections across disciplines and explore new directions in robotics research and applications.

Overview

Advances in sensing, autonomy, control and materials are enabling robots to operate in increasingly complex environments, from the human body to the deep ocean and space. Early-career researchers are making important contributions to this progress, often working across several of these disciplines.

To spotlight these researchers and their work, the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Program at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) is organizing the inaugural Rising Stars in Robotics Symposium. The three-day symposium will convene emerging researchers shaping the next era of autonomous systems and embodied intelligence, serving as an international platform for Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty to present original research, exchange methodologies and develop academic collaborations.

Call for abstracts

Ph.D. students, postdoctoral researchers and junior faculty working in robotics are invited to submit an abstract of their research for consideration. Selected candidates will be invited to KAUST to present their work during the symposium.

  • Submission: Please send your abstract directly to Professor Eric Feron at eric.feron@kaust.edu.sa 
  • Submission Deadline: November 30, 2026

Research areas

Submissions are welcomed across robotics research areas, including:

  • Humanoid robotics: Dynamic stability, locomotion and interactive arena challenges
  • Surgical robotics: High-precision micromanipulation for advanced medical applications
  • Precision agriculture: Autonomous field navigation, smart harvesting and crop monitoring
  • Underwater and marine robotics: Deep-ocean exploration, autonomous underwater vehicles, subsea sensing and aquatic technologies
  • Aerial systems and drones: Autonomous navigation, aerial mapping and multi-agent systems
  • Robotics for space systems and planetary science: Rovers, mining robots, gliders and submersibles
  • Robotic sensors and actuators: Emerging devices such as artificial muscles and synthetic skin

Agenda

TBC

Related People

Organizers

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