Reza has over eight years of experience in research and development within the fields of artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and control systems. His roles have included serving as the principal investigator on research projects, individual contributor in industry positions, and leading technical teams in research and development departments. Reza’s work has contributed significantly to the field of autonomous driving, where he has been involved in the research and development of Level 2 to Level 4 autonomous vehicles. Notably, he has developed algorithms that were integral to the operation of the first driverless semi-truck to navigate public roads without a human driver.

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At NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Reza was involved in developing algorithms for Mars rover navigation, where his efforts contributed to the enhancement of rover autonomy and efficiency in extraterrestrial environments. Additionally, his work played a crucial role in the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, particularly in developing methods that allowed Boston Dynamics' Spot robot to autonomously navigate complex underground settings. During Reza’s postdoctoral studies at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), he focused on developing safety-critical and risk-aware AI-based planning techniques for use in robotics, specifically targeting applications for bipedal robots. Throughout his career, Reza has collaborated with prestigious organizations such as NASA, Raytheon Technologies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) on projects ranging from rover development to innovations in civil and defense aerospace systems.

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Reza has co-authored over 50 peer-reviewed articles and holds two patents, establishing him as a leading expert in the area of risk-aware robotics and AI.

Reza's expertise includes a wide range of technical disciplines, including robotics, machine learning, AI, control systems, signal processing, aerospace systems, defense systems, autonomous vehicles, computer architecture, computer security, machine vision, digital and analog electronics, electrical and mechanical engineering.

EDUCATION

D.Phil., Engineering (Robotics), University of Oxford, 2016

M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Tehran, 2012

B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Tehran, 2010

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