Katherine Liu

Katherine Liu is a Machine Learning Research Scientist at Toyota Research Institute since May 2022, specializing in embodied intelligence with a focus on object-centric estimation and planning, world modeling, and representation learning. Liu leads projects on pose and shape estimation of 3D objects using neural fields and diffusion, while collaborating with academic partners at institutions such as Stanford and Columbia. Previously, as a Graduate Research Assistant at the MIT Robust Robotics Group from September 2015 to December 2021 under the guidance of Nick Roy, Liu developed algorithms for autonomous navigation, innovative methods for deep neural networks, and contributed to DARPA's Fast Lightweight Autonomy project. Liu's early experiences include internships and research positions at various organizations including Northrop Grumman Corporation, Brain Corporation, and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Educational qualifications include a PhD in Autonomous Systems and a Master’s Degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, San Diego.