Explore UVA Systems Engineering Research

The Center for Risk Management of Engineering Systems advances methods and technologies to identify, assess, and manage risk in complex engineered systems. Through interdisciplinary collaboration with industry and government, the Center strengthens system resilience, reliability, and decision-making under uncertainty.

We are interested in building robotic systems capable of working alongside people in complex human environments, such as factories, hospitals, and classrooms. For a robot to successfully work in these settings, it must have the capabilities to perceive and predict the intentions of people around it and use that knowledge to determine when, where, and how to act. We develop artificial intelligence, computer vision, and machine learning approaches to tackle these complex problems.

The Formal Human Systems Lab investigates how and why engineered systems fail, with a focus on the role of human behavior, cognition, and error. Using rigorous mathematical and formal methods, the lab develops approaches to enhance safety and prevent failures in high-stakes domains such as aerospace, medicine, and cybersecurity.

The Gerling Touch Lab explores the interaction between humans and machines through the sense of touch, combining computational modeling with device design and prototyping. Its interdisciplinary research advances applications in human health, haptics, and biomechanics, improving how people physically engage with technology.

The Human-AI Technology Lab leverages machine learning and mobile data to better understand human behavior and health outcomes. By developing intelligent, data-driven tools, the lab seeks to promote personalized interventions and foster healthier, more connected communities.

The S2He Lab fuses computational methods with technology such as smartphones and wearables to design intelligent systems for understanding the dynamics and personalization of health and well-being.