Dr. Robin Murphy, Raytheon Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been named a 2021 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow for founding the search-and-rescue robotics field, pioneering the field of human-robot interaction, and informing policy and practice in rescue robotics worldwide.
Founded in 1848, the AAAS is the world’s largest general multidisciplinary scientific society and is also the publisher of the Science family of journals. Elected annually, the AAAS Fellow is one of the most distinct honors bestowed in the scientific community.
The 2021 class of fellows spans 24 disciplines and includes 564 engineers, scientists and innovators who are being recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements in their respective fields. Murphy is one of the 26 new fellows honored in the information, computing and communication section.
She has deployed ground, aerial and marine robots to nearly 30 disasters in five countries, starting with the 9/11 World Trade Center collapse and also including Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident and the Kilauea volcanic eruption.
In more than 150 articles and an award-winning book, Disaster Robotics, Murphy has documented the science behind the robots and the need for artificial intelligence and human-robot teaming. Additionally, she has founded the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ International Symposium on Safety, Security and Rescue Robotics.
The new class is featured in the AAAS News and Notes section of the January 2022 issue of Science, and they will be recognized for their achievements later this year during an in-person gathering.