Apan Dastider

Dr. Apan Dastider is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Division of Engineering Technology at Wayne State University’s James and Patricia Anderson College of Engineering. He leads research in Robotics and AI, focusing on adaptive robotic systems, human-robot interaction, and generative AI for intelligent control. Previously, he earned his Ph.D. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida, where he worked as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Autonomous Robotic Computing Lab.

Education:

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of Central Florida, 2025
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering, University of Central Florida, 2023
• B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, 2017

Research Interests:

Dr. Dastider’s research lies at the intersection of robotics, AI, and control theory. His work emphasizes:

• Knowledge distillation across heterogeneous domains
• Human-robot interaction and motion synthesis
• Generative AI for adaptive robotic control
• Non-parametric reinforcement learning
• Low-dimensional manifold learning for motion planning

Publications Overview:

His recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on real-time robotic planning, diffusion models for motion generation, and safe human-robot collaboration. Notable works include APEX (dual-arm manipulation), RETRO (reactive trajectory optimization), and unified frameworks for interception and obstacle avoidance using diffusion variational autoencoders.

Awards & Recognition:

• UCF ECE Outstanding Graduate Researcher Award
• Reviewer for IEEE ICRA and IROS conferences

Teaching & Mentorship:

Dr. Dastider is committed to developing the next generation of AI and robotics professionals. He teaches courses like MIT5700 - Industrial Robots Modeling and Simulation at Wayne State University and actively mentors students in cutting-edge research projects.