Edinburgh Centre for Robotics
Maks Gepner is a PhD student at the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics, focusing on the Connect-R project, which involves the development of a modular, self-constructing robot for use in extreme environments, including nuclear power plant decommissioning and space exploration. Prior experience includes roles as a Rocket Recovery Engineer at endeavour, Simulation Engineer at HYPED where work involved FEA simulations for a Hyperloop pod, and Co-Founder and Creative Director at Skrr.pl, a successful lifestyle media channel in Poland. Maks also served as a Process Design Engineer at Renault Sport Racing, where software automation was implemented to enhance engineering processes in Formula 1. Educational background includes a Magister inżynier in Electrical & Mechanical Engineering from The University of Edinburgh, an exchange program in Aerospace Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, and an International Baccalaureate Diploma from III Liceum Ogólnokształcące w Gdyni.
Edinburgh Centre for Robotics
Robots have the potential to revolutionise the world's economy and society over the next twenty years, working for us, beside us and interacting with us. The robotics and autonomous systems area has been highlighted by the UK Government in 2013 as one the 8 Great Technologies that underpin the UK's Industrial Strategy for jobs and growth. Heriot-Watt University (Engineering and Physical Sciences, Mathematical and Computer Sciences) and the University of Edinburgh (Informatics, Engineering) are jointly offering an innovative 4 year PhD training programme, drawing on our long standing record of postgraduate education in the robotics and autonomous systems area, and research supervision drawing on our established background in all of the above mentioned areas. This will provide individually tailored course and project portfolios during the first year of the programme, ensuring that all students will have a strong grounding in current theory, methods and applications, with flexibility for strategic individualised study, and strong support leading to a specialised PhD project in subsequent years. A key focus of our Centre is to produce innovation-ready graduates - who can not only make fundamental advances in the theory and development of robotics technology, but also have the skills to take these advances through to achieving impact in the form of new products and new companies. Moreover, the course will develop teamwork and presentation skills and give students a broad appreciation of the ethical issues associated with the Robotics and Autonomous Systems area. The Centre includes the National Robotarium, a world-leading centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, creating innovative solutions to global challenges.