PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Aaron Bobick

Also known as Aaron F. Bobick

Aaron Bobick is a computer vision researcher whose work addresses human-action recognition and robot perception for collaboration between people and robots. He earned MIT degrees in mathematics and computer science in 1981 and a doctorate in cognitive science in 1987. At MIT's Media Lab, he led a DARPA video-surveillance project and coauthored the computer-vision-driven KidsRoom, an interactive story space. At Georgia Tech, he directed the GVU Center and became founding chair of the School of Interactive Computing; he was elected an IEEE Fellow in 2014 and joined WashU as dean in July 2015. As of October 2026, he is dean of McKelvey Engineering and the McKelvey Professor; his deanship will conclude in June 2027.

Works
237
Citations
15,507
h-index
55

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 15 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 1981–1987

    MIT degrees

    He earns bachelor's degrees in mathematics and computer science at MIT in 1981 and a doctorate in cognitive science in 1987.

  2. 1996

    The KidsRoom

    At MIT's Media Lab, he leads the DARPA Video Surveillance and Monitoring Project and its Dynamic Scene Analysis effort. He coauthors the 1996 KidsRoom, an interactive story space that uses computer vision to identify activity and let participants drive its narrative.

  3. 1999–2015

    Founding chair at Georgia Tech

    He joins Georgia Tech's faculty in 1999, directs its Graphics, Visualization and Usability Center, and becomes founding chair of the School of Interactive Computing. His research centers on machine perception of human activity.

  4. 2014

    An IEEE Fellowship

    He is elected a Fellow of the IEEE in 2014.

  5. 2015

    Dean at WashU

    He joins Washington University in St. Louis as dean of the School of Engineering & Applied Science and James M. McKelvey Professor in July 2015.

  6. 2018

    Robots that anticipate people

    He says robots must anticipate human actions to support closer integration between people and machines.

  7. As of October 2026

    Dean through June 2027

    He is dean of McKelvey Engineering and James M. McKelvey Professor at WashU; his deanship is scheduled to conclude in June 2027.

Sources and credits

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  1. Aaron Bobick | WashU McKelvey School of Engineering engineering.washu.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  2. The KidsRoom: A Perceptually-Based Interactive and Immersive Story Environment ic.media.mit.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  3. GVU/People/Faculty/Aaron Bobick sites.cc.gatech.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  4. Computational Connections engineering.washu.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.
  5. McKelvey Engineering dean search committee appointed engineering.washu.edu. Checked 15 October 2026.