Professor Dr. Nora Ayanian
Assistant Professor
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Biography
Nora Ayanian is an Assistant Professor at the University of Southern California in the Thomas Lord Department of Computer Science. Her research focuses on creating end-to-end solutions for coordinating teams of robots, enabling high-level specifications to be transformed into code for individual robots. Ayanian's unique approach combines automation and artificial intelligence to enhance multi-robot systems and mobile sensor networks. Her work, which includes studies in task assignment, path planning, and control, has broad applications in areas such as environmental monitoring and precision agriculture. Ayanian has received several awards, including the 2016 NSF CAREER Award and recognition in MIT Technology Review's '35 Innovators Under 35'. She is a co-founder and current co-chair of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Technical Committee on Multi-Robot Systems.
Research Interests
Awards
MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35
Okawa Foundation Information Telecommunications Research Grant
International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling Paper Robotics Track
National Science Foundation CAREER Award
University of Southern California Hanna Reisler Mentorship Award
Mic.com Mic50
NerdWallet 40 40 Professors Inspire
IEEE Intelligent Systems AI's 10 Watch
Requirements for University of Southern California
Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
TOEFL
IELTS
GRE General
Prerequisites
Application Checklist
- Online application
- Official transcripts
- Personal Statement
- Resume/CV
- Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes
GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.