Daniela Rus is one of the world"s leading experts in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI). After earning her Ph.D. in Computer Science and Robotics from Cornell University, she has devoted more than 23 years to research and education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She currently serves as the MIT Panasonic Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) and as the Director of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL), MIT"s largest research laboratory and one of the world"s foremost centers for AI and robotics research. In addition, she is the Co-Founder and Director of Liquid AI, a global startup specializing in on-device and edge AI, where she leads the commercialization of next-generation AI technologies. She has also served as the Deputy Dean of Research at the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and as the Director of the Toyota-CSAIL Joint Research Center, demonstrating exceptional leadership across both academia and industry.

Her primary research areas include modular and reconfigurable robotics, multi-robot systems, and autonomous control algorithms. She is widely recognized as a pioneer who established new paradigms for robots capable of changing their own form and for teams of robots collaborating to accomplish complex tasks. Beyond her academic achievements, she has actively engaged with the public through her book, The Mind"s Mirror, and has made significant contributions to the commercialization of advanced technologies as a Member of the Board of Directors of Symbotic, an AI-powered logistics automation company.

In recognition of her outstanding research contributions, Rus was named a MacArthur Fellow, often referred to as the recipient of the "Genius Grant." She has received many of the highest honors in engineering and robotics, including the IEEE Edison Medal, the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award, the Engelberger Robotics Award, and the John Scott Medal. She is also a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), a Fellow of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and an International Member of the French National Academy of Medicine (ANM), reflecting her global leadership in science and technology. Furthermore, she was invited to speak at the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (Davos Forum), where she shared her vision for the future of AI, robotics, and next-generation industries, further reinforcing her influence as a global technology leader.