James Forbes

James Forbes is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at McGill University. He holds the title of William Dawson Scholar and is affiliated with the Dynamics Estimation & Control of Aerospace & Robotics Systems research group. His primary research focus is on Dynamics and Control, with emphasis on navigation, guidance, and control (GNC) techniques for robotic systems. He teaches courses such as MECH 309 (Numerical Methods), MECH 412 (System Dynamics), and advanced topics in control systems.

Forbes earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Science and Engineering from the University of Toronto, following an M.A.Sc. from the same institution and a B.A.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

His research interests include nonlinear state estimation (batch methods, filtering), control synthesis via optimization (LQR, LMI approaches), and data-driven modeling using Koopman operator techniques. Applications span unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and SLAM systems. He has developed the navlie Python package for state estimation on Lie groups.

Notable awards include the William Dawson Scholar distinction. His recent work focuses on multi-UAV localization, robust control algorithms, and sensor fusion techniques. He collaborates on projects involving UWB-based positioning and inertial navigation systems.