Summary

Robotics master’s student at UPenn interested in how learning and control combine to produce adaptive, reliable behavior in the physical world. I’m drawn to questions regarding how systems can generalize, reason under incomplete information, and act safely in dynamic environments. My end-to-end experiences span across the full autonomy stack, and I aim to develop hybrid learning–control frameworks that bridge high-level reasoning with verifiable low-level execution. I’m pursuing PhD programs starting Fall 2026.

Education

• M.S. Robotics

  May 2026
  University of Pennsylvania

  Courses: Machine Learning, Machine Perception, Intro & Advanced Robotics, Convex Optimization, Bayesian Optimization, Control & Optimization for Robotics, Physical Intelligence
• B.S. Mechanical Engineering

  June 2024
  University of California, Los Angeles

  Courses: Dynamics, Feedback & Controls, Fluid Dynamics, Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, Mechanics of Materials, CAD & Manufacturing, Advanced Programming in C++

Work Experience

• GNC Intern — Engines Team

  May 2025 - August 2025
  Blue Origin

  Developed Blue Origin’s first high-fidelity electromechanical actuator (EMA) model for an upper-stage rocket engine using Simulink.

  • Built full EMA stack: FOC current control → cascaded speed/position loops → valve actuation.
  • Created physics-based electrical–mechanical plant capturing nonlinear EMA dynamics.
  • Delivered validated, auto-code-generating model ready for hardware-in-the-loop integration.
• Graduate Researcher & Teaching Assistant

  November 2024 - Present
  UPenn GRASP Lab (Prof. George Pappas)

  Researching multi-agent reinforcement learning for long-term environmental monitoring with autonomous underwater vehicles.

  • Developing DQN-based multi-agent coordination algorithm with Gaussian Process plume estimation.
  • Achieved improved accuracy and endurance over baselines in Delft3D simulations; ICRA 2026 submission.
  • Extending system to 3D mapping and hardware deployment.
  • TA for Linear Systems Theory; Lead TA for Convex Optimization (Spring 2026).
• Mechanical Engineering Intern

  June 2023 - September 2023
  NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

  Evaluated Caltech chainmail metamaterials for aerospace vibration mitigation.

  • Designed multi-axis vibration tests and performed modal analysis in MATLAB.
  • Built and validated FEM models; identified ~98% vibration attenuation.
  • Presented results to JPL Dynamics team for potential spacecraft applications.
• Undergraduate Researcher

  January 2023 - June 2024
  UCLA Thermosciences Lab (Prof. Sungtaek Ju)

  Investigated capillary-driven liquid desiccant flow in string-based mass exchangers.

  • Fabricated precision test rigs and performed controlled tension-dependent experiments.
  • Developed MATLAB image-processing pipeline for droplet tracking and curvature analysis.
  • Identified tension as a key factor in transport efficiency; produced training materials for lab onboarding.
• Co-founder — Product & Growth

  May 2022 - April 2024
  MAYA (Me and You Always)

  Co-founded a UCLA-wide social platform focused on community discovery and student engagement.

  • Designed and developed core product features (UI/UX + full-stack web).
  • Scaled platform organically to 4,000+ active UCLA students.
  • Led product design, growth strategy, and campus outreach.

Skills

Portfolio

• Portfolio
  Collection of robotics, RL, control systems, and engineering projects.

  View Project

Languages

• English

  Native
• Farsi

  Fluent speaker
• Spanish

  Intermediate