Cornell’s new Ph.D. in robotics comes in multiple flavors

Applications are now open to be part of Cornell's inaugural admitted class of Robotics Ph.D. students, who will begin the newly launched doctoral program in fall 2025.

The uniquely structured program spans four fields of study, enabling applicants to choose from multiple entry points into the world of robotics - which combines expertise across science and engineering, including mechanism design, modeling, dynamics, control, hardware, actuators, sensing, data science, machine learning, computing and social science.

"Robotics is very interdisciplinary, and it doesn't fit neatly into any one discipline," said Hadas Kress-Gazit, the Geoffrey S.M. Hedrick Senior Endowed Professor in Cornell Engineering and the director of the Robotics Ph.D. program. "We wanted a degree program that reflected that reality, allowing students to pursue robotics in the way that speaks to them the most and to tailor their studies to match their goals."

Prospective students can apply to pursue a Ph.D. in robotics through the fields of mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science. Students will be required to complete a minor in the field through which they enter, as well as an additional minor of their choosing, and they will otherwise focus on robotics-specific requirements.

"This is really geared toward providing people from different backgrounds a legible path into this exciting subject," said Kress-Gazit, who also serves as Cornell Engineering's associate dean for diversity and academic affairs. "Each field gives a different flavor, but in the long run, their future direction is more likely to be shaped by the work they do on their thesis."

Students will be able to work with any of the robotics faculty members, who hail from eight different schools and departments housed within five of Cornell's colleges. Faculty and students in the program will be located at Cornell's Ithaca campus and the Cornell Tech campus in New York City.

Robotics has been growing rapidly at Cornell, which launched an undergraduate minor in the subject in 2018. This growth trend has been even more pronounced in industry. "There are so many opportunities right now," Kress-Gazit said, highlighting the potential career paths for graduates. "It's not only a dynamic academic field. All the big companies have roboticists, and startups are going like crazy."

Cornell's new Robotics Ph.D. program aims to play a crucial role in shaping the future of the field, producing leaders ready to tackle complex challenges at the intersection of multiple disciplines.

The deadline to be part of the inaugural cohort is Dec. 1, 2024.