Smart Scholar

Nolan Gutierrez, a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, has received a prestigious Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship from the U.S. Department of Defense.

“This scholarship will help me pursue a more permanent career within the Department of Defense," he says. “I hope to work with my mentor and their team at the Army Research Lab to delve deeper into my research and propose my own projects that align with their research goals."

Gutierrez will build upon research he started last year during an internship with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command in the Army Research Lab, where he enhanced the adaptability of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras through multitask learning. He will see if training a PTZ control system on a variety of motion profiles—such as square, circular, and straight-line movements, both forward and backward—will improve adaptability and performance. This approach includes deploying a PTZ-equipped robot in scenarios with different human-object configurations—including dynamic, moving elements—to mimic real-world operational conditions relevant to the Army. ₪