Maja J. Matarić
Distinguished Professor Matarić is holder of the Chan Soon-Shiong Chair in Computer Science, professor of computer science, neuroscience and pediatrics, founding director of the USC Robotics and Autonomous Systems Center (RASC), co-director of the USC Robotics Research Lab, and vice dean for research in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering. Matarić is the pioneer of socially assistive robotics, a growing interdisciplinary endeavor aimed at endowing robots with the ability to help people through individual non-contact assistance in health and education. Her Interaction Lab’s research is developing robot-assisted therapies for children with autism spectrum disorders, stroke survivors and individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia, as well as other beneficiary populations. Matarić has demonstrated pioneering work in the field of robotics, as well as a commitment to mentoring generations of women and underrepresented populations in the sciences and engineering.
She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, fellow of the IEEE and AAAI, and recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics & Engineering Mentoring, the Anita Borg Institute Women of Vision Award for Innovation, Okawa Foundation Award, NSF Career Award, the MIT TR35 Innovation Award and the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Early Career Award. At USC she has been awarded the Viterbi School of Engineering Service Award and Junior Research Award, the Provost’s Mentoring Award and Center for Interdisciplinary Research Fellowship, the Mellon Mentoring Award, the Academic Senate Distinguished Faculty Service Award and a Remarkable Woman Award. She is featured in the science documentary movie Me & Isaac Newton, in The New Yorker (“Robots that Care”, 2009), Popular Science (“The New Face of Autism Therapy”, 2010) and is one of the Los Angeles Times Magazine’s 2010 Visionaries.