PeopleofSuperintelligence

Researcher

Karen Leung

Karen Leung is an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Washington whose work uses machine learning and control theory to help robots move safely around people. She earned degrees in aeronautical engineering and mathematics at Sydney, completed a Stanford doctorate in 2021, and joined NVIDIA's Autonomous Vehicle Research Group in September 2021. Her 2020 STLCG paper connected logical rules with gradient-based methods used in robotics. She joined UW in 2022 and received an NSF CAREER Award in 2025 to develop data-driven safety models for mobile robots. She directs the Control and Trustworthy Robotics Lab and, since July 2025, the UW+Amazon Science Hub.

Works
52
Citations
909
h-index
15
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 28 October 2026.

Timeline

  1. 2014

    Engineering and mathematics at Sydney

    In 2014, she graduates from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Science with First Class Honors, majoring in aeronautical (space) engineering and advanced mathematics.

  2. 2017

    A Stanford master's degree

    She earns a master's degree in Stanford University's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 2017.

  3. 2020

    STLCG for robot specifications

    In 2020, she coauthors Backpropagation through Signal Temporal Logic Specifications: Infusing Logical Structure into Gradient-Based Methods with Nikos Aréchiga and Marco Pavone. The paper introduces STLCG, which uses computation graphs to bring logical rules into robot algorithms that use gradient-based methods.

  4. 2021

    A Stanford doctorate

    In 2021, she completes a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford, working in the Autonomous Systems Lab directed by Marco Pavone. Her dissertation is titled On Using Formal Methods for Safe and Robust Robot Autonomy. She receives the William F. Ballhaus Prize for Best Ph.D. Thesis Award in 2021.

  5. September 2021

    Research scientist at NVIDIA

    In September 2021, she starts work as a research scientist at NVIDIA Research in the Autonomous Vehicle Research Group.

  6. 2022

    Assistant professor at Washington

    She joins the University of Washington's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics as an assistant professor in 2022. Her research combines formal methods, machine learning and robot motion planning to build autonomous systems that can interact safely with humans.

  7. March 2025

    Eye tracking for robot safety

    In March 2025, she receives a $300,000 NSF grant with co-principal investigator Anat Caspi, director of the Allen School's Taskar Center for Accessible Technology. The project in her Control and Trustworthy Robotics Lab uses eye-tracking glasses to help autonomous vehicles and robots adapt to individual comfort and safety preferences.

  8. July 2025

    UW+Amazon Science Hub director

    In July 2025, she becomes director of the UW+Amazon Science Hub. She leads its research and education programs in robotics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, including doctoral fellowships and collaborative research projects.

  9. 2025

    An NSF CAREER Award

    She receives an NSF CAREER Award in 2025 to support five years of work in UW's CTRL Lab on data-driven safety models. The project develops ways for mobile robots to account for social dynamics when they move through crowded places such as hospitals, airports and warehouses.

  10. As of October 2026

    Human-robot interaction at UW

    As of October 2026, she is an assistant professor and the Juris Vagners and Linda Christianson Endowed Faculty Fellow in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington, where she directs the Control and Trustworthy Robotics Lab and the UW+Amazon Science Hub. Her research in 2026 combines human behavior modeling, generative modeling, control theory and formal methods for safe human-robot interaction.

Career

  1. Since 2025University of WashingtonDirector of the UW+Amazon Science Hub
  2. Since 2022University of WashingtonAssistant Professor
  3. NowUniversity of WashingtonJuris Vagners and Linda Christianson Endowed Faculty Fellow
  4. NowUniversity of WashingtonDirector of the Control and Trustworthy Robotics Lab
  5. From 2021NVIDIAResearch Scientist

Education

  1. 2021Stanford UniversityPhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics
  2. 2017Stanford UniversityMaster's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics
  3. 2014University of SydneyBachelor of Engineering in Aeronautical (Space) Engineering
  4. 2014University of SydneyBachelor of Science in Mathematics (Advanced)

From the biography and OpenAlex affiliations (the years of papers that list the organization), so some years are approximate.

Checked career sources: aa.washington.edu, stanfordasl.github.io, engr.washington.edu, web.stanford.edu.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Karen Leung yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Karen Leung - Stanford ASL stanfordasl.github.io. Checked 28 October 2026.
  2. [2008.00097] Backpropagation through Signal Temporal Logic Specifications: Infusing Logical Structure into Gradient-Based Methods arxiv.org. Checked 28 October 2026.
  3. Karen Leung web.stanford.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  4. Karen Leung | UW William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics aa.washington.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  5. Karen Leung | UW College of Engineering engr.washington.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  6. Building customized trust in autonomous systems: Karen Leung receives NSF grant | UW William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics aa.washington.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  7. Karen Leung appointed UW–Amazon Science Hub Director | UW College of Engineering engr.washington.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  8. Karen Leung wins NSF CAREER Award to build autonomous systems with enhanced human-like social skills | UW William E. Boeing Department of Aeronautics & Astronautics aa.washington.edu. Checked 28 October 2026.
  9. Karen explores how humans and robots can safely and effectively interact with one another - Robot Control ieee-ras-robot-control.github.io. Checked 28 October 2026.