Aaron D. Ames

Aaron D. Ames is the Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Control and Dynamical Systems, and Aerospace at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He serves as the Booth-Kresa Leadership Chair and Director of the Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies since 2025. His academic journey includes a BS in Mechanical Engineering and BA in Mathematics from the University of St. Thomas (2001), followed by an MA in Mathematics and a PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from UC Berkeley (2006).

Research Interests span theoretical and experimental work in hybrid systems, nonlinear control, and bipedal robotic locomotion. Specific focus areas include:

• Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) for safety-critical systems
• Powered prostheses and robotic assistive devices
• Legged locomotion for bipedal and quadrupedal robots
• Cyber-physical systems and autonomous control
• Model predictive control and real-time optimization
• Humanoid robotics and geometric safety filters

Recent publications emphasize risk-aware control, safety verification, and locomotion on constrained environments, with applications to drones, exoskeletons, and quadrupedal robots. His work often integrates theoretical advancements with practical validation through the AMBER Lab.

Scientific Awards & Honors:

• NSF CAREER Award (2010)
• Donald P. Eckman Award (2015)
• Leon O. Chua Award (2005)
• Bernard Friedman Prize (2006)

Teaching includes graduate courses on nonlinear control, hybrid systems, and robotics at Caltech, alongside prior roles at Georgia Tech and Texas A&M. He leads the AMBER Lab (Bipedal Robotics) and has secured major grants from the National Science Foundation, NASA, and industry partners like Miso Robotics and SRI International.