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The Interaction Lab is part of the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Center (RASC), the USC Robotics Labs, and the USC Computer Science Department, in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Prospective Researchers

Postdoctoral

Currently, we can only consider externally fully funded postdoctoral fellow candidates with expertise in HRI or ML with human data, and with focused interest in our Lab’s work (as informed by our currently active federal grants). Qualified candidates should apply through this form.

PhD Students

The Interaction Lab only accepts students who are interested in human-robot interaction. Our research primarily focuses on socially assistive robotics. Please see our research pages for a better idea of the work we do.

Each academic year, we recruit (on average) one or two new PhD students into the Interaction Lab. To join the lab as a PhD students, you should apply to the Computer Science Department.

Due to the high volume of applications, we usually cannot respond to emails from students who have not yet been accepted into the program.

Admissions decisions are made by a CS PhD Admissions Committee, not by individual faculty. If you are interested in the Interaction Lab, list Prof. Mataric as one of the faculty in the application form, and describe your interests and expertise relevant to the lab’s research as part of your application essay. Questions about admission status should go the CS Department.

If you are interested in the Interaction Lab but are applying to another Viterbi School department, please note that we will not be made aware of your application or interest in the lab; Viterbi departments have separate PhD admission processes. It is possible to work in the Interaction Lab and be a PhD student in another department in the Viterbi School of Engineering besides Computer Science, but it requires coordination ahead of time. You should work with the department you are applying to in order to make them aware of your interest and preferences and find out what can be arranged; reach out to Professor Matarić directly as well but reaching out to the department you are applying to is the first step.

If you are a PhD student at USC already and interested in getting involved in the Interaction Lab robotics research, email Prof. Mataric if you have the relevant background.

Undergraduate & Masters Students

The Interaction Lab is always looking for highly motivated undergraduate and masters students to participate in our research projects. If you are interested in working on one of our open research projects, please read the current job postings here and apply here.

We welcome Viterbi Fellows, Merit Research students, and URAP-supported undergraduates. We urge interested undergraduate students to explore undergraduate research funding options described at USC Viterbi and USC Undergraduate Education. We also support undergraduate student researchers through NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) awards, as long as they have relevant expertise and are working on projects associated with our NSF-supported grants.

K-12 Students

The Interaction Lab is very actively involved in K-12 STEM outreach. Here are some of our outreach/">K-12 outreach activities. Because of the large number of interested K-12 student volunteers, we recommend that interested K-12 students apply via the USC Viterbi SHINE program, which provides additional programming in addition to lab work/training. K-12 students who have already worked with Interaction Lab PhD students and have an established relationship with them may connect via those contacts

Summer Students

The Interaction Lab hosts summer undergraduate students through the following programs: Viterbi SURE, Viterbi India, CRA-W DREU, and the Computer Science Department REU Site. Interested students should apply through those programs.

The Interaction Lab hosts a small number of K-12 summer students through the Viterbi SHINE program.

PhD and postdoc applicants for summer visits should see the section on Visitors below.

Visitors

Externally-funded visitors interested in collaboration are welcome to contact Prof. Matarić by email, but because of limited resources, please note that we can only consider visitors who fulfill the following criteria:

  1. have a background that is directly related to one or more of our research areas, and
  2. plan to perform hands-on work on a well-defined agreed-upon project of mutual interest that would lead to joint publications.

Location

Ronald Tutor Hall (RTH)
3710 McClintock Ave, Room 423
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0781

(213) 740-6245