A recognized leader in robotics education and research, the Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Machines (IRIM) is known for several firsts, including launching the nation’s original interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in robotics and designing and building the Robotarium, a lab like no other that democratizes robotics research.

Following in this trailblazing spirit, Georgia Tech’s RoboGrads, the robotics graduate student organization, will host the first Southeast Robotics Symposium (SRS) on October 11 and 12 on the Georgia Tech campus.

SRS will bring together roboticists from academia in and around the Southeastern United States to share research, facilitate networking and career opportunities, and foster a sense of community in the region.

“There’s a handful of comparable symposiums held annually around the country,” said Seth Hutchinson, IRIM’s executive director and the KUKA Chair for Robotics in the College of Computing. “To me, it only makes sense that Georgia Tech should lead the way in forging a regional community of likeminded roboticists.”

The event will follow a professional conference structure common in academia and feature poster sessions and presentations on a variety of topic areas related to robotics, including. human-robot interaction, machine learning, rehabilitation, dynamics and control, humanoids, and more.

Invited SRS speakers include professors Yu Sun from the University of South Florida and Warren Dixon from the University of Florida.

“It’s been a fun process planning the event,” says Sergio Aguilera, current RoboGrads president. “I know both our Georgia Tech students and those from neighboring states are excited to have a chance to come together and share our experiences. We don’t always all get to travel to the international conferences like ICRA and IROS, so an annual regional event will allow us to meet regularly.”

Registration is ongoing. Visit the SRS website for details.