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Michael Zavlanos

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Wilkinson Building, Room 417, Durham, NC 27708
Wilkinson Building, Room 417, Durham, NC 27708

Research Interests


Control theory, optimization, and learning; in particular, robotics and autonomous systems, networked and distributed control systems, and cyber-physical systems.

Selected Grants


Center of Excellence: Assured Autonomy in Contested Environments

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by University of Florida · 2019 - 2026

CPS: Small: Distributed Learning and Control of Cyber-Physical Systems

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2019 - 2023

GuArDIAN: General Active Sensing for conDItion AssessmeNt

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Department of Energy · 2019 - 2023

Controlling Intermittently Connected Autonomous Robot Teams in Underwater Environments

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2018 - 2023

CPS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Smart Ultrasound Elastography for Improved Medical Imaging

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2018 - 2022

REU Site for Meeting the Grand Challenges in Engineering

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2017 - 2022

Distributed Real-Time Optimization of Mobile Wireless Networks

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by Office of Naval Research · 2014 - 2017

NeTS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Optimal Communication for Fast Sensor Network Coordination

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2013 - 2017

RI: Medium: Collaborative Research: Mobile Microrobot Swarm Platform for Advanced Manufacturing Applications

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2013 - 2017

CAREER: Control of Mobile Robot Networks: Integrating the Communication and Physical Domains

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2012 - 2017

CPS: Synergy: Collaborative Research: Controlling Teams of Autonomous Mobile Beamformers

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2013 - 2017

REU Supplement for NSF CNS Award 1261828 CAREER: Control of Mobile Robot Networks: Integrating the Communication and Phy

ResearchPrincipal Investigator · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2012 - 2016

External Relationships


  • Amazon Robotics
  • National Technical University of Athens
  • Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm

This faculty member (or a member of their immediate family) has reported outside activities with the companies, institutions, or organizations listed above. This information is available to institutional leadership and, when appropriate, management plans are in place to address potential conflicts of interest.