Ayanna Howard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ayanna Howard
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| Born | January 24, 1972 |
| Nationality | American |
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| Doctoral advisor | George A. Bekey |
Ayanna MacCalla Howard, born January 24, 1972, is an American expert in robots and AI. She is also an entrepreneur and a teacher. Currently, she is the dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State University. In March 2021, she became the first woman to lead this engineering college. Before this, Dr. Howard led the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. She also directed the Human-Automation Systems (HumAnS) Lab, where she studied how humans and robots work together.
Contents
Becoming a Robot Expert: Early Life and Education
When Ayanna Howard was a little girl, she loved thinking about aliens and robots. Her favorite TV show was The Bionic Woman, which was about a woman with super-powered body parts. This early interest helped her choose her path.
Dr. Howard studied engineering at Brown University, earning her first degree in 1993. She then went to the University of Southern California for her master's and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering. She finished her Ph.D. in 1999. Her research focused on how robots could learn to handle objects that change shape. She also earned an MBA from Claremont Graduate University.
What Has Dr. Howard Done in Her Career?
Dr. Howard's interest in artificial intelligence (AI) led her to a job at Axcelis Inc. There, she helped create some of the first commercial AI tools.
Working with NASA
From 1993 to 2005, Dr. Howard worked at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This is a famous place where scientists build robots for space exploration. She held important roles there, including being a senior robotics researcher. She even helped manage the office of the chief scientist.
Teaching and Research at Georgia Tech
In 2005, she joined Georgia Tech as a professor. She started the Human-Automation Systems (HumAnS) Lab. This lab focuses on how humans and robots can work together safely and effectively. She also helped lead Georgia Tech's robotics Ph.D. program. In 2017, she became the chair of the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech.
Amazing Robot Projects
Dr. Howard has created some incredible robots.
- SnoMote Robots: In 2008, her SnoMote robots gained worldwide attention. These robots were designed to travel across ice shelves in Antarctica. Their job was to study how global warming affects these icy areas.
- Zyrobotics: In 2013, she started her own company called Zyrobotics. This company creates special therapy and educational products for children with special needs. These products use technology to help kids learn and grow.
Dr. Howard has written many scientific papers and books. She also holds four patents for her inventions. She is a respected member of top organizations like the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Leading the Way at Ohio State
In 2020, it was announced that Dr. Howard would become the next dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State University. She officially started this role on March 1, 2021. This was a big moment because she became the first woman to ever lead this important engineering college. In 2022, she was also elected as a trustee for Brown University, her former school.
What Does Dr. Howard Research?
Dr. Howard's research focuses on how humans and robots interact. She also works on robots that help people, like those used in therapy. Her work explores how robots can learn and understand the world around them.
Her goal is to create smart robots that can work well with people. This includes making robots that can learn, help with rehabilitation, and even assist children with special needs. She has published over 200 papers on these topics.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Howard has received many honors for her amazing work.
- In 2003, Technology Review magazine named her one of the top 100 young innovators in the world under 35.
- She was featured in Time magazine in 2004 for her work with robots.
- She also appeared in a USA Today article about science and space.
Some of her other awards include:
- Lew Allen Award for Excellence (2001)
- NAE Gilbreth Lectureship (2010)
- A. Richard Newton Educator ABIE Award (2014)
- Computer Research Association's A. Nico Habermann Award (2016)
- Brown Engineering Alumni Medal (BEAM) (2016)
- AAAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassador (2016-2017)
- Atlanta magazine's Women Making a Mark (2017)
- Forbes America's Top 50 Women In Tech (2018)
- ACM Athena Lecturer Award (2021)
- Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2021)
- IEEE Fellow (2021)
- 2023 AAAI/EAAI Patrick Henry Winston Outstanding Educator Award
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