Troy, N.Y. - Jeffrey Trinkle, former principal member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, has been named professor and chair of the computer science department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Trinkle is widely recognized as an expert in robotics.

Trinkle's research goals are to increase the intelligence and practical skill of robots to the point where they can safely coexist with people and perform helpful tasks - like reassembling a broken vase or organizing a basement workshop - themselves. He has already developed an experimental robotic "hand" capable of some manipulation of simple objects.

"Professor Trinkle's expertise in computer science and robotics will complement other important activities at Rensselaer and enable us to strengthen the department's programs in both areas," said Joseph Flaherty, dean of Rensselaer's School of Science. "We are looking forward to him leading computer science to the very pinnacle of distinction."

As chair, Trinkle plans to improve the educational experiences of its students, initiate one or more high-profile research projects in computer science, and lead the department to international prominence.

Trinkle earned a bachelor's of science in physics from Ursinus College, another bachelor's of science in engineering science and mechanics from Georgia Tech, and a doctorate in systems engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. After receiving his doctorate, Trinkle served as an assistant professor at the University of Arizona in the school's systems and industrial engineering department, and from there moved on to Texas A&M University to teach in the computer science department. In 1998, he began his career at Sandia, a national security research and development laboratory.

His work has appeared in several top journals, including the Journal of Applied Mechanics, International Journal of Robotics Research, and Mathematical Programming.

Outside of teaching, Trinkle is actively involved in writing and speaking about robotics and rigid-body dynamics. He said he hopes his work will help reinvigorate collaborations between mathematicians, scientists, and engineers.

Contact: Caroline Jenkins
Phone: (518) 276-6531
E-mail: N/A