Dr. Dan Popa Selected for Distinguished Faculty Award

By Holly Hinson

Dr. Dan Popa, Director of Louisville Automation & Robotics Research Institute (LARRI), Professor, Electrical & Computer Engineering, has been selected for the Distinguished Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity in Basic and Applied Sciences. Every year, the University honors faculty who bring distinction to the university through their commitment to the areas of service, teaching, and outstanding scholarship, research, and creative activity.

Louisville Automation & Robotics Research Institute (LARRI) is a multi-disciplinary team of faculty, staff and students that have a combined expertise in the emerging research areas related to automation and robotics. The multi-disciplinary approach enables LARRI to tackle large research projects and provide solutions for current and future manufacturing, healthcare and logistics challenges.

Popa is lead of the Next Generation Research Group (NGS) conducting research in two main areas: 1) the design, characterization, modeling, and control of microactuators and precision robots and 2) social and physical human–robot interaction through adaptive interfaces and robot skins. He has been the recipient of several prestigious awards and the author of over 250 peer reviewed conference and journal articles in IEEE and ASME publications.

“Dr. Dan Popa is regularly one of the leading researcher producers within the ECE Department, in terms of research awards, publications and student support and advising,” said John Naber, Department Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering. “I am unaware of anyone in the ECE Department winning this very competitive and prestigious UofL-wide research award before. We are all very proud in ECE of Dr. Popa receiving this well-earned and well deserved award.”

As a winner of the Distinguished Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship, Research and Creative Activity in Basic and Applied Sciences, Dr. Popa will be recognized with an academic medallion, a cash award of $1,000, an invitation to an awards reception later this year, and inclusion on the Employee Success Center awards website and UofL Today story.

Popa emphasized the collaborative nature of his research. “This award goes to the whole LARRI team, including its staff, students and faculty. I just happened to be the one to catalyze enthusiasm for a new robotics institute and programs at UofL.”