Robotics IPAC

Anna Michel is an Associate Scientist in the Department of Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. She also serves as the Chief Scientist for the National Deep Submergence Facility.  Her research focuses on the development of new in situ sensors and sensing platforms for advancing our understanding of ocean chemistry in locations ranging from deep-sea hydrothermal vents to the coastal Arctic. Michel’s lab is also developing technologies for measuring microplastics. Committed to educating the next generation of ocean engineers, Michel advises graduate students in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program. Michel received BS degrees in Chemical Engineering and Biology and an MS in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  She has a PhD in Mechanical and Oceanographic Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Joint Program.  Michel completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University as the MIRTHE Center Research and Teaching Fellow. Michel was a recipient of an NSF CAREER Award, the Arons Award, and a National Academies Gulf Research Fellowship. 

Paul Schmitt is Senior Software Manager for Autonomy Applications at Torc Robotics, leading the development of safety-critical autonomy architecture for self-driving vehicles. His career spans roles at Motional, nuTonomy, and iRobot, where he integrated safety engineering with large-scale robotics and AI systems. Paul holds multiple U.S. patents in human–robot interaction and autonomous-vehicle software architectures and has authored numerous papers on safe machine learning, behavior transparency, and human-robot collaboration. He actively contributes to international safety standards.  Beyond Torc, he serves on the advisory boards of several robotics start-ups advancing mobility, perception, and assistive-technology innovation. Paul also founded the MassRobotics Automated Vehicle Consortium, fostering collaboration among academia, industry, and policymakers. His current research explores expressive autonomous-vehicle behavior and safety frameworks that promote trustworthy, human-centered automation.

After graduating from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2020 with a Bachelors of Science in Computer Engineering, Luke leaned in to his interest in coding and software design by joining Sovos Compliance as a Software Engineer. Over the course of a few years, Luke learned to perform full stack web application development, earned a promotion, and completed the Meta Backend Developer certification. While this role offered great experience, Luke wanted to start applying his skills at a global company in a way that would have a larger impact on business transformation, so he joined a multinational team at ServiceNow. Today, he is part of an instrumental team that is developing an internal quoting application used by other ServiceNow employees.

Luke grew up in Westbrook, Maine, and attended Cheverus High School, where he was captain of the Ice Hockey and Track & Field teams. In his free time, you can find him exploring the city of Boston with his wife, volunteering at local food pantries and community cleanup events, or playing board games with friends. If you cross paths with Luke, please say hello!

Aseem Singh is a seasoned engineering leader with over 15 years of experience in the MedTech and robotics sectors, specializing in systems engineering, cybersecurity, and strategic product development. Currently serving as Technical Lead at Flex, he drives governance models and cross-functional collaboration for complex MedTech projects. Previously, Aseem held key roles at Olympus Surgical Technologies and Becton Dickinson, where he led capital equipment initiatives and cybersecurity strategy across North America.
Aseem holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Penn State and has contributed to NASA’s CUIP program as a research scientist. He is a published author, holds multiple patents, and is deeply involved in professional organizations, including founding and chairing IEEE EMBS chapters in Boston and Phoenix. His work has earned multiple innovation and leadership awards, reflecting his commitment to advancing technology and mentoring future engineers.
 

Kevin Ung is an operations and manufacturing executive with broad experience across surgical technologies, medical implants, RF/microwave energy delivery systems, and neuromodulation devices. Since earning his degree in Electromechanical Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2016, Kevin has worked with several Silicon Valley–based startups, leading teams from concept through global commercialization and building data-driven systems that meet FDA and international regulatory standards.
He brings a systems-driven approach to developing scalable and compliant operations that integrate engineering, quality, and supply-chain functions—enabling the advancement of next-generation medical technologies.  

Samantha Johnson is the Founder & CEO of Tatum Robotics. Samantha earned her master’s degree in Bioengineering from Northeastern University in 2021; shortly after, she established Tatum Robotics to bring her master’s thesis project—a robotic hand/wrist capable of actuating the fingerspelled letters of ASL—to R&D and eventual commercialization. Along with her role as the CEO of Tatum Robotics, Samantha participates directly in the robotic design and construction of the technology as well as facilitating communication when deafblind consultants visit the office. Under Samantha’s leadership, Tatum Robotics has established partnerships with the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC), the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), the Deaf-Blind Contact Center (DBCC), and the Technology Access Program (TAP) at Gallaudet University. The fingerspelling robot has been tested by over 50 deafblind individuals across several states with a 98% recognition rate. Samantha herself was honored in the Forbes 30 Under 30 North America Class of 2024 in the Consumer Technology category and Forbes 30 Under 30 Boston Class of 2024. Samantha has been signing with deafblind community members for the past three years and participates in Boston’s deafblind community by serving as Secretary of Boston’s largest deafblind community group.