Ada-Rhodes Short

Ada-Rhodes Short is an Assistant Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Informatics at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO), part of the College of Information Science & Technology. Her work bridges robotics, computational cognition, and design decision-making for autonomous systems.

Research Interests: Dr. Short's research focuses on enabling autonomous mobile robots to make intelligent design decisions through computational cognition. Her interdisciplinary work integrates robotics, artificial intelligence, and human-centered design, aiming to improve how machines understand and adapt to complex environments. This includes applications in consumer robotics, space robotics, and assistive technologies.

Scientific Awards:

• TOP PAPER AWARD, Scholarship/Research - 2015
• CES DESIGN INNOVATION AWARD IN ROBOTICS AND DRONES CATEGORY - 2019
• OUTSTANDING GRADUATE RESEARCH, Scholarship/Research - 2016
• LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN LGBTQ ADVOCACY AWARD, Service, Community - 2014
• SOROPTIMISTS INTERNATIONAL RUBY AWARD FOR WOMEN HELPING WOMEN RESEARCH, Service, Community - 2019
• PHM SOCIETY DOCTORAL SYMPOSIUM SELECTION, Scholarship/Research - 2015
• MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENTAL HONOREE FINALIST, Scholarship/Research - 2015
• CONFERENCE ON EARTH ENERGY & RESEARCH, GRADUATE POSTER PRESENTATION RUNNER UP, Scholarship/Research - 2015
• UNIVERSITY OF DENVER ANALYTIC CHALLENGE RUNNER UP, Scholarship/Research - 2015

Advising and Service: Dr. Short is actively involved in mentoring future engineers and promoting diversity in STEM. She serves as Co-Chair of the ASME DED Broadening Participation Committee, demonstrating leadership in inclusion. While specific advisees are not listed, her career emphasizes cultivating the next generation of design engineers.

Labs and Teams: Although specific lab names are not mentioned in the text, her research in autonomous robotics and computational cognition suggests active collaboration with interdisciplinary teams in robotics and AI at UNO and beyond.