Geir Dullerud

Geir Dullerud serves as the W. Grafton and Lillian B. Wilkins Professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, holding affiliate appointments in Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering within the College of Engineering. He is a core faculty member at the Coordinated Science Laboratory and actively contributes to the Center for Autonomy initiative.

Education

• Ph.D. in Information Engineering, Cambridge University, England, 1994
• M.A.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada, 1990
• B.A.Sc. in Engineering Science, University of Toronto, Canada, 1988

Research Focus: Professor Dullerud pioneers theoretical frameworks for cyber-physical systems, specializing in networked control architectures, stochastic hybrid systems, and optimization-driven machine learning. His work bridges formal verification with practical implementations in robotics and autonomous systems, emphasizing security-aware control and privacy-preserving algorithms for distributed environments. Recent breakthroughs integrate reinforcement learning with classical control theory to address scalability challenges in complex CPS.

Publication Trends: Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2021-2024) reveals three dominant threads: (1) Machine learning control (60% of works) focusing on reinforcement learning convergence and safety guarantees; (2) Formal verification (25%) for stochastic hybrid systems using model reduction; (3) Cybersecurity applications (15%) including anonymous networks and privacy-preserving mechanisms. This evolution demonstrates strategic expansion from foundational control theory into AI-integrated CPS.

Scientific Recognition

• IEEE Fellow (2008) and ASME Fellow (2011)
• NSF CAREER Award (1999)
• W. Grafton and Lillian B. Wilkins Professorship (2016)
• Xerox Faculty Research Award (2005)
• Multiple plenary/keynote invitations (IWFASA 2019, CAV 2017, IWOTA 2016)

Academic Leadership: Dullerud has advised numerous graduate students while securing sustained funding through NSF grants and industry partnerships. His Willett Faculty Scholar designation (2002-present) and Technical Committee leadership in IEEE Control Systems Society underscore institutional impact. Current teaching includes advanced courses in nonlinear systems (ECE 528) and convex control methods (ME 561), consistently ranked excellent by students.

Research Infrastructure: He leads projects within UIUC's Coordinated Science Laboratory, leveraging resources from the Center for Autonomy to develop testbeds for cooperative robotics and networked control systems. His group maintains active collaborations with Stanford, KTH Stockholm, and industry partners in autonomous vehicle development.