Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s (RPI)’s Rado Ivanov, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, has been named a 2025 Young Investigator Program awardee by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). This award is among the most prestigious national honors for early career researchers in science and engineering.

Ivanov was recognized for his innovative research focused on improving the safety and reliability of autonomous systems, such as unmanned aircraft and high-speed vehicles. His work aims to ensure that these systems can respond to critical failures in real time and recover safely and reliably. His research introduces a new framework that combines machine learning with formal verification methods, leading to the development of tools that are reliable even in complex and dynamic environments.  

“Autonomous technologies are moving rapidly into the real world, but we still lack the tools to ensure they behave safely when something goes wrong,” Ivanov said. “This research is about making sure these systems can not only perform well under normal conditions, but also recover in ways we can trust.”

The Air Force Young Investigator Program supports early career scientists and engineers who demonstrate exceptional promise to advance fundamental science and engineering research. The program aims to accelerate discovery, foster innovation, and deepen ties between academic research and the Air Force mission.

Ivanov’s selection reflects RPI’s commitment to fostering groundbreaking research and supporting faculty — including those early in their careers — as they pursue bold ideas with the potential to shape the future of technology. His recognition highlights the institute’s environment of innovation, where interdisciplinary work at the intersection of computer science, engineering, and national security is encouraged and advanced.

In addition to this honor, Ivanov recently received the 2025 Outstanding Early Research Award from RPI’s School of Science, reflecting his growing influence as both a researcher and educator. His contributions include developing verification techniques for autonomous systems with neural network components — such as his tool Verisig — and creating resilient detection methods to protect against sensor attacks and other unsafe events. With 42 indexed publications in computer science, Ivanov’s recent accomplishments also include a National Science Foundation award for neuro-symbolic perception and a best paper award from ACM Transactions on Embedded Computing Systems.

Ivanov’s AFOSR Young Investigator Award will support his ongoing efforts to advance autonomous systems that are not only high performing, but also resilient and trustworthy. As autonomous technologies continue to evolve and play a larger role in society, his research addresses critical questions about how these systems can operate safely in unpredictable, real-world conditions. RPI remains committed to supporting innovative work like Ivanov’s that anticipates future challenges and helps lay the foundation for safer, smarter technologies.