Penn Engineering
Breakthrough technologies that strengthen national security, accelerate scientific discovery and expand the frontiers of engineering often begin with bold, high-risk ideas. Through support from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Penn Engineering faculty are advancing exactly this kind of transformative research. From resilient autonomous systems and secure AI-driven robotics to next-generation photonics, quantum hardware and advanced materials, our researchers are tackling complex challenges that demand both deep technical expertise and interdisciplinary collaboration. These DARPA-funded projects not only address critical defense and security needs, but also lay the groundwork for innovations that ultimately shape everyday technologies, strengthen infrastructure and improve everyday life.
Professor, Electrical and Systems Engineering
Firooz Aflatouni creates advanced chip‑scale circuits that integrate optics and electronics for sensing, communication and signal processing. His DARPA projects—including OPA‑SWESS (Optical Phased Arrays with Sub‑Wavelength Element Size and Spacing), WiPAC (Wideband Integrated Photonic‑Acoustic Signal Cancellation), PIPES, and i‑QIPS (Integrated Quantum‑Inspired Photonic Solver)—seek to build ultra‑compact photonic arrays and on‑chip solvers that handle high‑speed, high‑bandwidth tasks, paving the way for faster optical computers and smarter sensors.
Contact: firooz@seas.upenn.edu
Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics; Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Paulo E. Arratia investigates fluid dynamics and the behavior of complex fluids found in everyday phenomena like mud, polymer solutions and swimming microorganisms. His experiments reveal how liquids and soft matter deform, mix and flow under different conditions, improving our understanding of everything from industrial processes to biological locomotion. His insights have broad relevance in engineering, physics and biology.
Contact: arratia@seas.upenn.edu
Professor, Computer and Information Science
Chris Callison‑Burch works at the frontier of language AI, exploring how natural language systems can assist scientists and innovators. His DARPA project HAILMEIER‑C (Harnessing Artificial Intelligence and Language Modeling for Enhancing Innovation and Evaluating Research Claims) focuses on using language models to evaluate research claims and spur idea generation. His work aims to make AI more than a writing tool — it becomes a collaborator in scientific thinking and evaluation.
Contact: ccb@seas.upenn.edu
Ruth Yalom Stone Professor, Computer and Information Science
Konstantinos Daniilidis is a leader in computer vision and robotic perception, developing mathematical and algorithmic tools that allow machines to interpret motion and space from visual data. His work tackles real-world challenges like 3D scene understanding, camera design, motion estimation and vision-based navigation, enabling robots and intelligent systems to see, recognize and move within complex environments with greater reliability.
Contact: kostas@seas.upenn.edu
Oliver C. Boileau Jr. and Nan Eleze Boileau Professor, Electrical and Systems Engineering Computer and Information Science
André DeHon is a pioneering computer engineer whose research explores how computations are physically implemented through adaptable hardware architectures like field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and reconfigurable systems. His work advances energy-efficient, secure and resilient computing platforms that can be dynamically retargeted across applications, from embedded systems to advanced security technologies, bridging hardware design with software tools and optimization.
Contact: andre@seas.upenn.edu
Research Associate Professor, Computer and Information Science
Eric Eaton applies lifelong machine learning and robotics to support first responders and medical teams in critical scenarios. His DARPA project PRONTO (Penn Robotic Non‑contact Triage and Observation) builds autonomous aerial and ground robots that can assess disaster scenes without direct human contact — surveying collapsed buildings, detecting vital signs and prioritizing treatment, all under time pressure and chaotic conditions.
Contact: eeaton@seas.upenn.edu
Professor, Electrical and Systems Engineering Materials Science and Engineering
Liang Feng focuses on reconfigurable photonic systems and integrated optics that control light in novel ways. His DARPA‑funded project Programmable Lithography‑Free Integrated Photonics for Signal Control and Networking develops chip‑scale photonic platforms that can change their function after fabrication, enabling flexible high‑speed optical networks, lower‑latency computation and novel devices for AI and communication systems.
Contact: fenglia@seas.upenn.edu
Nemirovsky Family Dean Professor, Mechanical Engineering & Applied Mechanics; Computer and Information Science; Electrical and Systems Engineering
Vijay Kumar is a world-renowned robotics expert whose work centers on designing and coordinating teams of autonomous robots — especially flying drones — that can sense, communicate and work together to solve tasks too complex for a single robot. His research spans motion planning, perception and swarm intelligence, with applications from construction and disaster assessment to search and rescue operations, emphasizing safety, collaboration and real-world impact.
Contact: kumar@seas.upenn.edu
Assistant Professor Computer and Information Science Electrical and Systems Engineering
Antonio Loquercio develops ultra‑agile robots that, using only what they sense on board and with no external aid, navigate complex environments at high speed with precision. Under his DARPA project GALE (Rapid Autonomy Transfer in Multi‑Agent Drone Racing), he is creating methods for drones to share autonomy, learn in context, and cooperate in dynamic tasks — pushing toward systems that adapt like teams in a race, not just single machines moving blind.
Contact: aloque@seas.upenn.edu
Roy Olsson develops specialized materials and devices for magnetic sensing, filtering and signal processing even in harsh environments. His DARPA efforts, such as Magnetostatic Wave Filters with Multiferroic Frequency Tuning and M2agHITS (Multiferroic Magnetic High Temperature Sensors), innovate sensors and filters that stay accurate at extreme temperatures and operate without static power, enabling dependable sensing in aerospace, defense and tough field conditions.
Contact: rolsson@seas.upenn.edu
UPS Foundation Professor of Transportation, Electrical & Systems Engineering Computer & Information Science
George Pappas designs safe and robust control systems for autonomous robots. His DARPA project Safety Defenses for Jailbreaking LLM‑Controlled Robots develops techniques to prevent AI‑driven robots from being manipulated and making unsafe decisions. In plain terms, he ensures that even when advanced AI is in charge, robots behave reliably, avoid dangerous actions, and follow intended goals under real-world constraints.
Contact: pappasg@seas.upenn.edu
Associate Professor Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics
Paris Perdikaris fuses physics, machine learning and engineering to understand how complex materials and systems behave. Under his DARPA program LieAD (Uncovering Hidden Linear Structure in Complex Continuum Systems) he develops tools that find simpler, hidden patterns in highly nonlinear systems (like fluid flows or deforming materials). His work helps turn messy physical behaviour into manageable models that are faster to compute and easier to interpret.
Contact: pgp@seas.upenn.edu
Assistant Professor, Computer and Information Science Electrical and Systems Engineering
Anthony Sigillito leads the Penn Quantum Hardware Lab, where he develops next-generation quantum computing hardware using ultra-precise control of electron and nuclear spins in semiconductors. His research focuses on building and controlling quantum bits (“qubits”), the basic units of quantum computers, enabling more powerful computation through quantum mechanics. His work supports new technologies that could transform computing, cryptography and materials discovery.
Contact: asigilli@seas.upenn.edu
We welcome academic, corporate and industry partners to explore collaboration and innovation opportunities with Penn Engineering’s research community.
Please contact marcomms@seas.upenn.edu to learn more.
