Directory

Ding Zhao is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is also associated with the Computer Science Department, Robotics Institute, CyLab Security & Privacy Institute, and Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. He is a visiting researcher at Google Brain/Robotics. Leading the CMU Safe AI Laboratory, Zhao aims to create trustworthy AI that is robust, safe, generalizable as well as explainable, verifiable, and human-centric. His long-term goal is to develop fundamental theories and practical technologies to safely deploy AI to address some of the world's most pressing problems.

Zhao is recognized nationally and internationally for his research on trustworthy AI, with applications in intelligent autonomy and healthcare. He is the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, George Tallman Ladd Research Award, MIT Technology Review 35 under 35 China Award, Ford University Collaboration Award, Carnegie-Bosch Research Award, Struminger Teaching Award, and industrial fellowship awards from Adobe, Bosch, and Toyota. He worked with leading industrial partners, including Google Brain, Amazon, Ford, Uber, IBM, Adobe, Bosch, Toyota, and Rolls-Royce.

Office
B10 Scaife Hall
Phone
412.268.1042
Email
dingzhao@cmu.edu
Google Scholar
Ding Zhao
Websites
Safe AI Lab website

USDOT 2022 Cybersecurity Forum

Making AI Safer for Autonomous Vehicles

Education

2016 Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

2010 BS, Automotive Engineering, Jilin University

Media mentions


CMU Engineering

Safe AI for safe streets for all

Ding Zhao is teaming up with the City of Pittsburgh to improve road safety and eliminate traffic fatalities using AI.

Carnegie Mellon University

CMU’s Safety21 leads inaugural Future of Transportation Summit

Transportation safety experts from CMU’s Safety21 partnered with the DOT’s University Transportation Centers to lead the inaugural Future of Transportation Summit in Washington D.C. from August 13th-15th. CMU faculty showcased their research and innovations with the goal of improving transportation safety.

Forbes

Zhao weighs in on whether AI will be able to act without human oversight

MechE’s Ding Zhao spoke with Forbes about the roles humans will play in overseeing AI output in many industries.

Carnegie Mellon University

Zhao demonstrates LocoMan at landslide site

The dog-like robot, already known for helping around the house, can climb steep hillsides and use its paws to place sensors on difficult terrain, making landslide monitoring safer for humans.

PYMNTS

Zhao quoted on humanoid robots for retail

MechE's Ding Zhao was quoted in an article by PYMNTS about the most effective ways to automate industry.

CMU Engineering

Trustworthy artificial intelligence for the greater good

MechE’s Ding Zhao trains students to enhance the affordability, reliability, and inclusivity of AI through the Trustworthy AI Autonomy course.

CMU Engineering

New course harnesses AI to kindle creativity

New course, AI for Humanities, offers a unique perspective on how AI can revolutionize our perception and interaction with creative expressions.

CMU Engineering

Manipulation technology makes home-helper robot possible

New locomotion and manipulation technology from Ding Zhao’s lab will enable four-legged robots to lend a hand in the not-so-distant future.

Popular Science

Zhao quoted on the applications of humanoid robots

MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in an article in Popular Science about possible uses for humanoid robots and their capabilities.

CMU Engineering

RoboTool enables creative tool use in—you guessed it—robots

Large language models enable robots to “brainstorm” creative tool use and perform seemingly impossible tasks.

CMU Engineering

2023 Dean’s Early Career Fellows announced

Xi (Charlie) Ren, Victoria Webster-Wood, and Ding Zhao have received the honor for their contributions to their respective fields.

CMU Engineering

Driving autonomy into the metaverse

Students in Ding Zhao’s lab were awarded the 2022 Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship for their proposal to generate diverse safety-critical autonomous vehicle scenarios using digital twins.

Lifewire

Zhao quoted on reducing emissions using AI

MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted by Lifewire on the potential impact of self-driving cars, delivery robots, and drones on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

2022 Faculty Awards announced

The 2022 Engineering Faculty Awards winners have been announced.

CMU Engineering

Robots that can learn to safely navigate warehouses

Advances in chips, sensors, and AI algorithms are enabling robots to continuously learn how to plan routes, avoid obstructions, and operate safely in large dynamic warehouse environments.

Time Magazine

Zhao quoted on digital twins

MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted by Time Magazine on digital twins, an exact digital re-creation of an object or environment.

CMU Engineering

Artificial Intelligence you can trust

Professor Ding Zhao developed a new course that trains engineering students how to make artificial intelligence trustworthy.

CMU Engineering

NSF CAREER grants awarded to engineering faculty

Four engineering faculty received NSF CAREER awards to support their education and research goals.

Carnegie Bosch Institute

Engineering faculty receives CBI funding

CEE’s Burcu Akinci and Gerald Wang; CyLab’s Eunsuk Kang; ECE’s Gauri Joshi; EPP’s Alex Davis; and MechE’s Satbir Singh, and Conrad Tucker, and Ding Zhao were awarded funding from the Carnegie Bosch Institute.

WIRED

Zhao quoted on AI

MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted on WIRED on AI reinforcement learning.

Purdue University

Zhao’s AI research funded by Rolls-Royce

MechE’s Ding Zhao is working with researchers from Purdue University on a project funded by Rolls-Royce that is focused on artificial intelligence for intrusion detection.

WIRED

Zhao quoted on simulations

MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in WIRED about using simulations for industrial applications.

Mechanical Engineering

There’s no stopping MechE

When life throws lemons to mechanical engineers, they make lemonade... and dynamic systems, geometric models, and thermal fluids experiments. There's no stopping mechanical engineers. See what we're planning for the fall semester.

Mechanical Engineering

Building safer AI for a better future

Leading the Safe AI Lab, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Ding Zhao is spearheading research to develop safe, transparent, and reliable AI for autonomous vehicles.