Conrad Tucker
Trustee Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Courtesy Appointments, Biomedical Engineering, Machine Learning, Robotics Institute
Conrad Tucker is a professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Tucker served as director of Carnegie Mellon University Africa (first in an interim capacity) from August 2023 through December 2025. He holds courtesy faculty appointments in machine learning, robotics, and biomedical engineering. His research focuses on the design and optimization of systems through the acquisition, integration, and mining of large scale, disparate data.
Tucker has served as PI/Co-PI on federally/non-federally funded grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), the Office of Naval Research (ONR) via the NSF Center for eDesign, and the Gates Foundation. In February 2016, he was invited by National Academy of Engineering (NAE) President Dr. Dan Mote, to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for the NAE Frontiers of Engineering Education (FOEE) Symposium. He received his Ph.D., M.S. (industrial engineering), and MBA degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
The Effect of Deepfake Technology on Education
Using AI & Machine Learning to Design, Teach, and Diagnose
Using AI to Generate VR Environments
Education
2011 Ph.D. in Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2009 MBA in Business Administration, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2007 M.S. in Industrial & Systems Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
2004 B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Media mentions
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Startups to join CMU-Africa's Business Incubation Program
The five winners of the NBA Africa Triple Double Accelerator have been announced
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
CMU-Africa and University of Rwanda partner for expanded bridge program
The initiative is designed for undergraduate students in Rwanda who are pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
Next Billion
CMU-Africa mentioned in Next Billion
Conrad Tucker and CMU-Africa were mentioned in Next Billion about the recent Africa HealthTech Summit.
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
CyLab researchers present their work at SOUPS 2025
Carnegie Mellon faculty and students will share their research at the 2025 Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS), which takes place August 10-12 in Seattle.
CMU Engineering
Time to check your blood pressure—no cuff required
Computer vision technology allows for video-based estimation of blood pressure.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Thought leaders discuss African AI sovereignty and ethical innovation
At the Global AI Summit on Africa, CMU-Africa led a roundtable discussion centered on building AI infrastructure tailored to local needs.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
CMU-Africa and UR hold collaborative research symposium
CMU-Africa and UR leadership, faculty, and students met to identify common research goals and outline a roadmap for impactful academic collaborations during a two-day symposium held in March.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
Strengthening diaspora connections through talent, industry, and research
CMU-Africa connects with the U.S. Rwandan Ambassador, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and NASA.
The Toyin Falola Interviews
Tucker calls for African researchers to invest in artificial intelligence
CMU-Africa professor Conrad Tucker was part of a panel of researchers who called on the African research community to invest in artificial intelligence technology to secure Africa’s technological and economic future.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
CMU-Africa and Challenger Center collaborate to deliver STEM programs
CMU-Africa and Challenger Center will partner to deliver Challenger Center’s Virtual Missions to hundreds of secondary school students on the continent.
CMU Engineering
CMU-Africa expands digital public infrastructure initiative
The Upanzi Network will fund research projects in Morocco, Botswana, and South Africa, with plans for additional partnerships.
Carnegie Mellon University Africa
CMU-Africa students build strategic networks in the United States
A delegation from CMU-Africa recently traveled to the United States, connecting with various organizations to strengthen global networks.