YONG-LAE PARK, Korea

Yong-Lae Park (GSM’07-M’09) Prof. Park is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University (2016~present). He received his Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University (2010). Prior to joining SNU he was an Assistant Professor in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (2013-2016) and a Technology Development Fellow in the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University (2010~2013). He is the winner of the Best Conference Paper Award in the IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (2019), the Okawa Foundation Research Grant Award (2014), the Best Paper Award from the IEEE Sensors Journal (2013), the NASA Tech Brief Award (2012). His current research interests include artificial skins and muscles, soft robots, wearable devices and robots, inflatable robots, and smart structures and materials. His work on soft artificial skin and soft robots were featured in Nature, Discovery News, New Scientist, Engadget, PBS NOVA, and Reuters.

IEEE ACTIVITIES:

COMMITTEES/BOARDS:

• Advisory Board of the IEEE Technical Committee on Soft Robotics
• IEEE EMBS Technical Committee on BioRobotics
• Steering & Program Committee, IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 2020 & 2021
• Program Committee, IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 2018
• Organizing Committee, International Workshop: Can we build Baymax? Soft Robotic and Safe Human-Robot Interaction in Humanoids at IEEE-RAS International Conference on Humanoid Robots, 2015.

SOCIETY:

• IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS)
• IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society (EMBS)

CONFERENCES:

• Program Chair, IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, 2019.
• Associate Editor, IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), 2021.
• Associate Editor, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2019.
• Associate Editor, IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2018.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Prof. Park has been actively participating in the major IEEE-RAS conferences including ICRA and IROS since 2007 as a graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, and a professor. He recently organized a relatively young IEEE conference successfully, IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics as a Program Chair, in 2019, and contributed to the growth of the soft robotics society.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Successfully organized IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics, in 2019, as a Program Chair.

Position Statement: IEEE RAS has been growing rapidly in recent years, and interest in robotics is higher than ever these days. At this time, I believe that one of the important roles of AdCom is to represent the diverse interests of researchers around the world and to help IEEE accommodate the needs. I will try to make RAS a society that can respect diversity and the opinions of minorities without falling behind the rapidly changing global trend in robotics. In addition, I will help IEEE establish a much more efficient and convenient conference and journal system than the existing one. I will also help RAS events include more industrial partners and maintain closer relationships between researchers and industries so that technology transfer and commercialization of robotics technologies can be easier and more active. Lastly, in case the current non-face-to-face situation lasts longer than expected, I will help to build a more efficient protocol and system that can be used for conferences and other events in which researchers can participate more actively and conveniently.