Dr. Illah Nourbakhsh

Professor

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Biography

Illah R. Nourbakhsh is the Kavcic-Moura Professor of Robotics and the Executive Director of the Center for Shared Prosperity at Carnegie Mellon University. His research focuses on community-based robotics and educational social robotics, aiming to utilize robotics technology to empower individuals and communities. He earned his bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees in computer science from Stanford University and has been a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon since 1997. His work within the CREATE Lab has engaged more than 40,000 people globally, focusing on various innovative projects such as GigaPan and community robotics education. Nourbakhsh also has a history at NASA/Ames Research Center where he served as Robotics Group lead and has authored significant publications, including textbooks for MIT Press. Additionally, he holds leadership roles in various organizations dedicated to improving environmental health and education, emphasizing the intersection of technology and social impact.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

— Present

Carnegie Mellon University • Pittsburgh, PA

Lead the CREATE Lab and conduct research in robotics with a focus on community engagement.

Requirements for Carnegie Mellon University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3.5
GRE General
Verbal
Required:158
Quantitative
Required:149
Analytical Writing
Required:4
Overall
Required:4
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Psychology or related field Research experience/publications
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • GRE scores (optional but reported in profile)
  • English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo)
Specialization Notes

Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.