Fengying Dang

Fengying Dang is an Assistant Professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at Michigan Technological University (MTU), where she joined in August 2024. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from George Mason University (2021) and a B.S. in Detection, Navigation & Control from Northwestern Polytechnical University (2015).

Dr. Dang's educational background includes:

• Ph.D in Electrical and Computer Engineering, George Mason University, 2021
• B.S. in Detection, Navigation & Control, Northwestern Polytechnical University, 2015

Dr. Dang's research focuses on enhancing robotic intelligence through three interconnected areas: (1) how robots perceive and understand their environment, (2) how sensor data can be effectively utilized, and (3) how to design intelligent control systems. Her work aims to create systems that enable robots to function robustly and accurately in complex environments. She specializes in designing novel perception and localization systems using both vision and non-vision based sensors, as well as developing learning-based control algorithms. Her research spans underwater robotics, agricultural robotics, autonomous vehicles, and AI applications in robotic systems.

Analysis of Dr. Dang's publications reveals a strong focus on applying advanced computational techniques to robotics challenges. Her work demonstrates expertise in underwater robotics (particularly flow sensing and estimation), agricultural robotics (weed detection systems), and autonomous vehicle control. She frequently employs machine learning approaches, including deep reinforcement learning and computer vision techniques like YOLO object detection. Her research shows a progression from fundamental fluid dynamics and control theory toward more applied AI-driven robotics solutions, particularly in the last 5 years.

Dr. Dang actively supervises students in her laboratory. Her team includes doctoral students, master's students, and has produced alumni such as Benjamin Wittrup (MS EE 2025) who now works at Treetown Tech LLC. She welcomes Ph.D. candidates, graduate interns, and undergraduate researchers, offering opportunities for course credit and research assistantships through university programs like REU and SURF.

Dr. Dang's laboratory focuses on cutting-edge research in autonomous systems and robotics, with particular emphasis on perception, control, and AI applications. Her team works on diverse projects spanning underwater robotics, agricultural automation, and autonomous vehicle systems, developing robust solutions for complex environmental challenges.