Groundbreaking Program

Dear Prospective Students and Colleagues,

I am thrilled to introduce you to a groundbreaking program designed to produce the next generation of leaders in Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISR). Our program, a collaboration between the University of West Florida’s Hal Marcus School of Science and Engineering and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC), is not just another PhD program—it’s a forward-thinking initiative to foster innovation and excellence.

At a Glance:

• 5 graduates have already secured prestigious positions in both industry and academia.
• We currently have 27 students representing 9 countries, providing a rich, diverse, and global perspective.
• 15 supervising faculty members, all renowned experts in their fields, are dedicated to guiding our students to success.
• Many of our students are supported by esteemed agencies like the Department of Defense (DoD) STEM scholarships and funding from NSF, NIH, ONR, DARPA, ARL, and USDA.

Our program is designed to foster the optimal environment for growth, collaboration, and scientific excellence. We believe in selecting exceptionally bright and mature students ready to dive into meaningful research from the moment they enter the program. For our faculty and researchers, we provide the opportunity to work closely with students over the long term, building research relationships that extend well beyond traditional academic internships or short-term collaborations.

Our program thrives on the "mentor-student teams" principle—a dynamic model that allows each team to tailor coursework and research portfolios according to their specific areas of interest. This personalized approach mirrors the flexibility of European-style graduate programs. It is particularly suited for rapidly evolving fields like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics, where the pace of change demands constant innovation in education. Unlike conventional programs retrofitted for these cutting-edge disciplines, our program is designed with the future in mind.

Our curriculum emphasizes a project-driven, research-based approach that facilitates collaboration with industry partners. We are keenly aware of the rapid advancements in AI and Robotics, and our students’ experiences are shaped to meet the growing demand for highly skilled problem solvers in Florida and globally.

At ISR, we are committed to providing a platform where faculty, researchers, and students can excel together. We believe our program is uniquely positioned to cultivate world-class talent ready to take on the challenges and opportunities in Intelligent Systems and Robotics. As the demand for expertise in these fields continues to grow at an unprecedented rate, we are excited to see the immense impact our students will make.

Thank you for considering joining us on this journey of exploration, innovation, and excellence.

Sincerely,
Brent Venable
Director, PhD Program in Intelligent Systems and Robotics