About PI

I am Dr. Yang (Gilbert) Ye. I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University. I am a researcher and engineer in the field of human-robot interaction and robotics for resilient infrastructures in civil engineering.

Research

Our research centers around automation, human-robot interaction, AI, cognition science, and human-assistive technology in complex environments like civil infrastructure. This cross-disciplinary journey has been and will be very interesting with exposures to cutting-edge technologies, including VR/AR, different morphs of robots (arm, hand, suit, quadrupedal, underwater, in-the-air), AI and machine learning, human physiological sensing… and more! Ultimately, we wish to promote automation and reshape workforce in and beyond the civil engineering area with robots and human-centered AI.

Ph.D. Hiring

We are recruiting Ph.D. students on a rolling basis. Please drop me an email at gilbert.application@gmail.com with your:

• CV, including your GPA, ranking, and a summary of your past research experience and publications;
• Cover letter that describes your motivation and research interest.

Minimum requirements for PhD applicants:

• GPA should be above 3.5/4.0 during both undergrad and master’s education, or with proper justification.
• Education in civil engineering, industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or other related fields.
• Coding skills in one or more of the programming languages: Python, C++, C#.
• Be motivated about research and showcase excellent communication skills.
• Fulfill the general requirements for doctoral admissions listed by Northeastern University.

Note that due to the high volume of applications, I cannot respond to all emails.

Preferred qualifications:

• Publications.
• Master’s degree.
• Demonstrated experience in independent research.

Research Opportunities for undergraduate/master students

If you are a current undergraduate/master student, you are very welcomed to reach out for research opportunites or thesis advisory. Please contact me at gilbert.application@gmail.com with your transcript and a short cover letter that briefly introduces your background, availability, and interests.

Post-doctoral researcher

If you are interested in postdoctoral opportunities, please e-mail me with the subject “Postdoc inquiry - in response to your website”. Please explain how you could contribute to the group, describe your prior research, and plan for future research. Please also include your CV and google scholar (or equivalent) page. Interested scholars are encouraged to contact me and co-apply for postdoc fellowships (there are a lot of postdoc fellowship opportunities! See application guidance).

Funding

All Ph.D. students and postdocs are funded. Funding includes all tuition, insurance, plus a stipend for living expenses. The good news is that Ph.D. students and postdocs can pursue their academic goals without a significant financial burden. The challenge is that your prospective advisor must secure adequate funding in order to make an admission offer. If you have external fellowship funding or are planning to apply for one, please make that clear in your application, as it makes it SIGNIFICANTLY easier for an advisor to commit to admitting you. You are encouraged to explore possible external funding (for both Ph.D. and Postdoc).