CV

Overview of the resume.

General Information

Full Name Sha Yi
Email shayi@ucsd.edu
Pronouns She/Her

Current Employment

  • Sep 2024 - now
    Postdoc Scholar
    UC San Diego
    • Work with Xiaolong Wang & Mike Tolley on machine learning for robot design.

Education

  • 2024
    PhD in Robotics
    Carnegie Mellon University
    • Advisor: Katia Sycara, Zeynep Temel
  • 2019
    MS in Robotics
    Carnegie Mellon University
    • Advisor: Katia Sycara
  • 2017
    BEng in Electronic and Information Engineering
    The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Work Experience

  • 6/2022 - 8/2022
    Applied Scientist Intern
    Amazon Robotics, North Reading, MA
    • Worked with Dr. Andreas Kolling on multi-robot planning and control.
  • 5/2017 - 8/2017
    Developer (Google Summer of Code)
    JSK Robotics Lab, University of Tokyo (virtual)
    • With Prof. Kei Okada; collision avoidance for manipulation and humanoid.
  • 3/2016 - 5/2016
    Robotics Intern
    HAI Robotics, Shenzhen, China
    • Implemented path planning algorithm for warehouse automation.
  • 7/2015 - 12/2015
    Software Engineer
    Microsoft, Beijing, China
    • Cloud & Enterprise Division, Platform & Tools Group.

Talks

  • 2025
    Learning to Design Soft Robots
    UCSD; Duke
    • Guest Lecture, Soft Robot, Fall 2025, UCSD
    • Invited talk, Feed the Intellect Robotics Seminar, UCSD
    • Invited talk, Robotics Discussion Group, Duke
  • 2024
    Reconfigurable Robot Control Using Flexible Coupling Mechanisms
    UCSD
    • Guest Lecture, Soft Robot, Fall 2024, UCSD
  • 2024
    Improving Robot Capabilities Through Reconfigurability
    UBC; UCSD; MIT; UPenn
    • Invited talk, University of British Columbia
    • Invited talk, UCSD (Hosts: Xiaolong Wang & Mike Tolley)
    • Invited talk, REALM Lab, MIT (Host: Chuchu Fan)
    • Invited talk, Sung Robotics Lab, UPenn (Host: Cynthia Sung)
  • 2023
    Physical Coupling in Robot Swarms
    CMU; IROS Workshop on Tensegrity Robotics
    • Guest lecturer, Insects and Robots, Fall 2023, CMU
    • IROS Workshop on Tensegrity Robotics
  • 2022
    Filling in the Gaps: Physical Coupling for Reconfigurable Robots
    ICRA Workshop on Modular Self-Reconfigurable Robots

Honors & Awards

  • 2025
    • MIT EECS Rising Star
  • 2021
    • CMU Presidential Fellowship
  • 2014 - 2016
    • HKSAR Government Scholarship

Academic Services

  • Reviewer
    • Conferences: ICRA, IROS, WAFR, ACC, RoboSoft, RSS, CoRL
    • Journals: T-RO, RA-L, AURO
  • Workshop Organizer
    • ICRA 2024 — Unconventional Robots: Universal Lessons for Designing Unique Systems
    • RSS 2025 — Brain and Brawn: Robot Hardware-Aware Intelligence
    • CoRL 2025 — Human to Robot: Sensorizing, Modeling, and Learning from Humans

Diversity & Outreach Services

  • 2019 - 2023
    Robotics Institute Summer Scholars (RISS)
    CMU
    • Served on admissions committee and reviewed applications.
    • Mentored undergraduates for three-month research projects.
  • 2020 - 2022
    Women@SCS / SCS4ALL Mentoring Program
    CMU
    • Mentored undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds.
    • Introduced students to research and supported career development.
  • 2020 - 2023
    SCS Graduate Application Support Program (GASP)
    CMU
    • Supported applicants from outside CMU with graduate applications.
    • Advised on resumes and personal statements.