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MS0102: Internship - Estimation and Calibration of Multi-physical Systems Using Experiments
MERL is looking for a highly motivated and qualified candidate to work on estimation and calibration of muti-physical systems governed by differential algebraic equations (DAEs). The research will involve study, development and efficient implementation of estimation/calibration approaches for large-scale nonlinear systems, e.g., vapor compression cycles, with limited experimental data. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in one or multiple of the following topics: nonlinear control and estimation, optimization, and model calibration; with expertise demonstrated via, e.g., peer-reviewed publications. Prior experience in working with experimental data, and programming in Julia/Modelica is a plus. Senior PhD students in mechanical, electrical, chemical engineering or related fields are encouraged to apply. The typical duration of internship is 3 months, and the start date is flexible.
Required Specific Experience
- Graduate student with 2+ years of relevant research experience
Additional Desired Experience
- Strong programming skills in Julia or Modelica
- Prior experience in working with thermofluid systems
- Prior experience in estimation/calibration of complex nonlinear systems using experimental data
- Research Areas: Multi-Physical Modeling, Optimization, Control, Dynamical Systems, Applied Physics
- Host: Vedang Deshpande
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CA0117: Internship - Feedforward-Feedback Co-Design
MERL is seeking a graduate student to develop a scalable optimization-based framework for feedforward-feedback co-design for nonlinear dynamical systems subject to path constraints. The framework will 1) support modeling and operational uncertainties, and 2) guarantee static and dynamic feasibility in closed-loop. The solution approach will leverage the state-of-the-art in sequential convex programming, contraction analysis, and first-order methods for semidefinite programming. The methods will be evaluated on high-dimensional motion planning problems in robotics. The results of the internship are expected to be published in top-tier conferences and/or journal in robotics, control systems, and optimization.
The internship is expected to start in Spring or Summer 2025 with an expected duration of 3-6 months depending on the agreed scope and intermediate progress.
Required Specific Experience
- Current/Past enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Mechanical, Aerospace, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Applied Mathematics.
- 2+ years of research in at least some of: first-order algorithms for SDPs, contraction analysis, nonconvex trajectory optimization.
- Strong programming skills in Python and/or C/C++.
- Research Areas: Control, Optimization, Robotics, Dynamical Systems
- Host: Purnanand Elango
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CA0148: Internship - Motion Planning and Control for Autonomous Articulated Vehicles
MERL is seeking an outstanding intern to collaborate in the development of motion planning and control for autonomous articulated vehicles. The ideal candidate is expected to be working towards a PhD in electrical, mechanical, aerospace engineering, robotics, control or related areas, with a strong emphasis on motion planning and control, possibly with applications to ground vehicles, to have experience in at least some of path/motion planning algorithms (A*, D*, graph-search) and optimization-based control (e.g., model predictive control), to have excellent coding skills in MATLAB/Simulink and a strong publication record. The expected start date is the Spring/Early Summer 2025 and the expected duration is 6-9 months, depending on candidate availability and interests.
Required Specific Experience
- Path/motion planning algorithms (A*, D*, graph-search)
- Nonlinear model predictive control
- Programming in Matlab/Simulink
- Applications to mobile robots or vehicles
Additional Useful Experience
- Nonlinear MPC Design in CasADi
- Code generation tools and dSPACE
- Applications to autonomous vehicles and articulated vehicles
- Research Areas: Control, Dynamical Systems, Robotics
- Host: Stefano Di Cairano
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ST0105: Internship - Surrogate Modeling for Sound Propagation
MERL is seeking a motivated and qualified individual to work on fast surrogate models for sound emission and propagation from complex vibrating structures, with applications in HVAC noise reduction. The ideal candidate will be a PhD student in engineering or related fields with a solid background in frequency-domain acoustic modeling and numerical techniques for partial differential equations (PDEs). Preferred skills include knowledge of the boundary element method (BEM), data-driven modeling, and physics-informed machine learning. Publication of the results obtained during the internship is expected. The duration is expected to be at least 3 months with a flexible start date.
- Research Areas: Artificial Intelligence, Dynamical Systems, Machine Learning, Multi-Physical Modeling
- Host: Saviz Mowlavi
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