Purdue launches inaugural Robotics Day to advance innovation and industry collaboration
Purdue University launched its inaugural Robotics Day on March 26, bringing together nearly 300 students, researchers and industry leaders for a campus-wide showcase of emerging technologies and collaboration shaping the future of robotics.
Organized by the Purdue Office of Industry Partnerships and co-led by the Colleges of Science, Engineering and Agriculture, along with the Purdue Polytechnic Institute, the event marked a new cross-campus effort to align research, education and industry needs in robotics and automation.
The event was sponsored by industry leaders AMD, Eli Lilly and Quanser, underscoring growing demand for robotics innovation across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare and autonomous systems.
“Robotics is no longer a future concept. It’s transforming industries today,” said Shreyas Sundaram, Marie Gordon Professor of in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and co-director of the Institute for Control, Optimization and Networks (ICON), an interdisciplinary center focused on advancing research and education in robotics and autonomy. “Events like Robotics Day are critical because they bring together academia and industry to solve real-world problems while preparing students to step into a rapidly evolving workforce.”
Throughout the daylong program, attendees explored advances in artificial intelligence, human-robot interaction and autonomous systems through live demonstrations, research presentations and networking sessions. The event emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in accelerating innovation and addressing workforce needs in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
Experts from across the university shared their research and perspectives during a series of talks and discussions. Purdue Engineering presenters included Yan Gu, associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering and director of the TRACE Lab; David Cappelleri, professor of mechanical engineering and assistant vice president for research innovation; Yu She, assistant professor in the Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering; Jian Jin, associate professor of Agricultural and Biological Engineering; and Shaoshuai Mou, the Elmer Bruhn Associate Professor of in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics and co-director of ICON.
“Robotics is inherently interdisciplinary, requiring advances in control systems, artificial intelligence and human interaction,” Mou said. “Purdue is uniquely positioned to bring these areas together, and Robotics Day reflects the strength of that collaboration.”
An industry panel anchored the event, offering candid perspectives on robotics adoption, deployment challenges and workforce development. Lightning talks and interactive sessions further encouraged dialogue between researchers and practitioners working at the forefront of technological advancement.
The Robotics Day Expo brought Purdue’s research to life, featuring real-world testbeds and cutting-edge systems demonstrating applications across manufacturing, mobility, autonomy and healthcare. A poster session highlighted 55 student, postdoctoral and faculty projects, showcasing emerging ideas and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Attendees voted on standout projects, with awards presented by the Robotics Day committee.
Students also had the opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders, gaining insight into career pathways and the skills needed to succeed in robotics-related fields.
Faculty organizers included Purdue Engineering professors Mou, Sundaram, She, Gu and Ziran Wang, assistant professor of in the Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering and assistant director of ICON; Aniket Bera, associate professor of computer science; and Dongming Gan, associate professor of engineering technology in the Purdue Polytechnic Institute. All are affiliated with ICON.
Purdue plans to build on the momentum of its inaugural Robotics Day by expanding the event into an annual platform for strengthening industry partnerships, advancing collaborative research and addressing global challenges through robotics innovation.