Ding Zhao
Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Courtesy Appointment, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science Department, Robotics Institute
Ding Zhao is an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is also associated with the Computer Science Department, Robotics Institute, CyLab Security & Privacy Institute, and Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. He is a visiting researcher at Google Brain/Robotics. Leading the CMU Safe AI Laboratory, Zhao aims to create trustworthy AI that is robust, safe, generalizable as well as explainable, verifiable, and human-centric. His long-term goal is to develop fundamental theories and practical technologies to safely deploy AI to address some of the world's most pressing problems.
Zhao is recognized nationally and internationally for his research on trustworthy AI, with applications in intelligent autonomy and healthcare. He is the recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, George Tallman Ladd Research Award, MIT Technology Review 35 under 35 China Award, Ford University Collaboration Award, Carnegie-Bosch Research Award, Struminger Teaching Award, and industrial fellowship awards from Adobe, Bosch, and Toyota. He worked with leading industrial partners, including Google Brain, Amazon, Ford, Uber, IBM, Adobe, Bosch, Toyota, and Rolls-Royce.
USDOT 2022 Cybersecurity Forum
Making AI Safer for Autonomous Vehicles
Education
2016 Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan
2010 BS, Automotive Engineering, Jilin University
Affiliations
Research Interests
- advanced vehicle systems
- AI and ML for security
- artificial intelligence
- autonomous vehicles
- computational engineering
- critical minerals and energy security
- digital twins
- energy
- energy and community involvement
- energy production
- energy storage
- EVs and mobility
- grid and energy infrastructure
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- IoT security and privacy
- machine learning
- public policy and regulation
- robotics
- security of AI and ML
- smart cities
Media mentions
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute
CyLab researchers present at ACM CHI 2025
CyLab Security and Privacy Institute researchers will present nine papers and teach one course at the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2025).
CMU
Zhao demonstrates autonomous vehicle research
MechE's Ding Zhao demonstrated a new project used to evaluate the safety of autonomous vehicles for vulnerable road users when U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited Mill 19.
bullitin
Zhao quoted on robot dogs
MechE's Ding Zhao was quoted in bullitin about why robot dogs are likely to see widespread use.
Mechanical Engineering
Experts gather at CMU to shape the future of automated vehicles
Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering hosted the 2024 IEEE Vehicle Validation Conference, welcoming experts and innovators from around the world.
CMU Engineering
Safe AI for safe streets for all
Ding Zhao is teaming up with the City of Pittsburgh to improve road safety and eliminate traffic fatalities using AI.
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU’s Safety21 leads inaugural Future of Transportation Summit
Transportation safety experts from CMU’s Safety21 partnered with the DOT’s University Transportation Centers to lead the inaugural Future of Transportation Summit in Washington D.C. from August 13th-15th. CMU faculty showcased their research and innovations with the goal of improving transportation safety.
Forbes
Zhao weighs in on whether AI will be able to act without human oversight
MechE’s Ding Zhao spoke with Forbes about the roles humans will play in overseeing AI output in many industries.
Carnegie Mellon University
Zhao demonstrates LocoMan at landslide site
The dog-like robot, already known for helping around the house, can climb steep hillsides and use its paws to place sensors on difficult terrain, making landslide monitoring safer for humans.
PYMNTS
Zhao quoted on humanoid robots for retail
MechE's Ding Zhao was quoted in an article by PYMNTS about the most effective ways to automate industry.
CMU Engineering
Trustworthy artificial intelligence for the greater good
MechE’s Ding Zhao trains students to enhance the affordability, reliability, and inclusivity of AI through the Trustworthy AI Autonomy course.
CMU Engineering
New course harnesses AI to kindle creativity
New course, AI for Humanities, offers a unique perspective on how AI can revolutionize our perception and interaction with creative expressions.
CMU Engineering
Manipulation technology makes home-helper robot possible
New locomotion and manipulation technology from Ding Zhao’s lab will enable four-legged robots to lend a hand in the not-so-distant future.
Popular Science
Zhao quoted on the applications of humanoid robots
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in an article in Popular Science about possible uses for humanoid robots and their capabilities.
CMU Engineering
RoboTool enables creative tool use in—you guessed it—robots
Large language models enable robots to “brainstorm” creative tool use and perform seemingly impossible tasks.
CMU Engineering
2023 Dean’s Early Career Fellows announced
Xi (Charlie) Ren, Victoria Webster-Wood, and Ding Zhao have received the honor for their contributions to their respective fields.
CMU Engineering
Driving autonomy into the metaverse
Students in Ding Zhao’s lab were awarded the 2022 Qualcomm Innovation Fellowship for their proposal to generate diverse safety-critical autonomous vehicle scenarios using digital twins.
Lifewire
Zhao quoted on reducing emissions using AI
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted by Lifewire on the potential impact of self-driving cars, delivery robots, and drones on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
2022 Faculty Awards announced
The 2022 Engineering Faculty Awards winners have been announced.
CMU Engineering
Robots that can learn to safely navigate warehouses
Advances in chips, sensors, and AI algorithms are enabling robots to continuously learn how to plan routes, avoid obstructions, and operate safely in large dynamic warehouse environments.
Time Magazine
Zhao quoted on digital twins
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted by Time Magazine on digital twins, an exact digital re-creation of an object or environment.
CMU Engineering
Artificial Intelligence you can trust
Professor Ding Zhao developed a new course that trains engineering students how to make artificial intelligence trustworthy.
CMU Engineering
NSF CAREER grants awarded to engineering faculty
Four engineering faculty received NSF CAREER awards to support their education and research goals.
Carnegie Bosch Institute
Engineering faculty receives CBI funding
CEE’s Burcu Akinci and Gerald Wang; CyLab’s Eunsuk Kang; ECE’s Gauri Joshi; EPP’s Alex Davis; and MechE’s Satbir Singh, and Conrad Tucker, and Ding Zhao were awarded funding from the Carnegie Bosch Institute.
WIRED
Zhao quoted on AI
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted on WIRED on AI reinforcement learning.
Purdue University
Zhao’s AI research funded by Rolls-Royce
MechE’s Ding Zhao is working with researchers from Purdue University on a project funded by Rolls-Royce that is focused on artificial intelligence for intrusion detection.
WIRED
Zhao quoted on simulations
MechE’s Ding Zhao was quoted in WIRED about using simulations for industrial applications.
Mechanical Engineering
There’s no stopping MechE
When life throws lemons to mechanical engineers, they make lemonade... and dynamic systems, geometric models, and thermal fluids experiments. There's no stopping mechanical engineers. See what we're planning for the fall semester.
Mechanical Engineering
Building safer AI for a better future
Leading the Safe AI Lab, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Ding Zhao is spearheading research to develop safe, transparent, and reliable AI for autonomous vehicles.