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ROBOT 6800 / ROBOT 5800 / CS 7939 / ECE 6868 / ME EN 6892 Fall 2025 Robotics Seminar

Action item: Please join the robotics-all email list to receive seminar reminders (including speaker bios and talk titles): https://www.lists.utah.edu/wws/info/robotics-all

The Robotics Seminar is held each Wednesday from 3:05PM to 3:55PM in WEB 2230.

In the Robotics Seminar, you will be expected to write a one-paragraph summary of each talk, which will be graded on a 2-point scale (2 = complete, 1 = partially complete, 0 = not attempted). A complete summary will provide:

  • the name of the speaker;
  • a succinct summary of the topic of the talk;
  • an idea that you might like to apply to your own research (or if you are not doing research, something that you found particularly interesting); and
  • a (positive or negative) question that remained in your mind after the talk.

This summary is due by 11:59p the Friday following the seminar.

This is an in-person class, and will be graded CR/NC. In order to receive CR, you must receive at least 80% of the credit associated with seminar attendance (the B- required for graduate standing). We have 12 planned seminars, for a total of 24 possible points; so to receive CR, you must accumulate 0.8*24=19.2 points (equivalent to missing 2 seminars).

There is no way to make up missed seminars. The fact that you may miss 2 seminars and still receive credit is intended to handle cases of illness, travel, or deadlines, and modifications to this policy are unlikely, but if you truly feel your case is exceptional, reach out to the instructor before the missed seminar in question. It is straightforward to retake this course if you do not receive CR.

You may also make up seminar credit by attending relevant department seminars with prior approval and providing the same summary. To request approval for a not-yet-approved seminar, reach out to the instructor at least 24h in advance of the seminar so it can be advertised to others in the course. Bonus seminars already approved are listed below; summaries must be submitted by 11:59p 2 business days following the seminar to receive credit.

Below is the tentative (evolving) schedule for speakers this semester.

08/20/2025 Introduction & Logistics N/A
08/27/2025 Justin Yim UIUC
09/03/2025 NO SEMINAR N/A
09/10/2025 Amy Lenz UofU
09/17/2025 Yifan Zhu UIC
09/24/2025 Yuchen Cui UCLA
10/01/2025 Michael Posa UPenn
10/08/2025 FALL BREAK - NO SEMINAR N/A
10/15/2025 Jacob Crandall BYU
10/22/2025 Jaime Fernández Fisac Princeton
10/29/2025 Quentin Sanders GMU
11/05/2025 Luis Garcia University of Utah
11/12/2025 Randy Beard BYU
11/19/2025 Mike Hagenow UW Madison
11/26/2025 THANKSGIVING WEEK - NO SEMINAR N/A
12/03/2025 MS Project Presentation(s): Britton Jordan and Tyler Webster UofU

Approved bonus seminars:

08/29/2025 - ME Distinguished Seminar Series: Kat Steele, University of Washington, WEB L105, 3-4p
09/05/2025 - ChemE Seminar: Yiğit Mengüç, OSU/Meta Reality Labs, WEB L103, 10:45a-11:45a
09/05/2025 - BME Seminar: Jonathon Schofield, UC Davis, SMBB 2650, 11:50a-12:50p
09/26/2025 - ME Distinguished Seminar Series: Wei Chen, Northwestern University, WEB L105, 3-4p

Course Summary:

Course Summary
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