Chuck Thorpe

Chuck Thorpe is a Professor at Clarkson University, serving as Dean of Arts and Sciences, Senior Vice President, and Provost. He holds an adjunct professorship in Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University. His career spans over four decades, including leadership roles at the Carnegie Mellon Robotics Institute, where his Navlab group pioneered autonomous vehicle technologies, culminating in a cross-country self-driving car demonstration in 1995. Thorpe also served as Founding Dean and CEO of Carnegie Mellon Qatar (2004–2010) and as Assistant Director for Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (2011–2012).

Education: BA in Natural Science (magna cum laude) from North Park University. Research focuses on robotic autonomy, advanced manufacturing policy, and national technology initiatives. He has authored over 120 refereed publications and advised 20 Ph.D. students. Professional service includes National Academies studies and international advisory roles. Awards include AAAI and IEEE Fellowships.

Labs/Teams: Leader of the Navlab robotics group. Policy contributions include shaping U.S. manufacturing and robotics strategies under the National Advanced Manufacturing Initiative. Current affiliations include Clarkson's Coulter School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.