CE-CERT is thrilled to introduce one of our newest additions to our team- Dr. Hang Qiu. Dr. Qiu joined CE-CERT as a full-time professor, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and a vision that promises to advance the field of collaborative intelligence in networked cyber-physical systems. In an exclusive interview, Dr. Qiu sheds light on his research, aspirations, and his passion for music, sports, and stargazing.
Dr. Qiu's research is centered around collaborative intelligence within networked cyber-physical systems. His primary objective is to merge the realms of robot intelligence, edge/cloud intelligence, and human intelligence. By doing so, he aims to unlock the potential for these autonomous entities to communicate and cooperate, transcending individual capabilities.
Dr. Qiu’s decision to join CE-CERT was driven by several compelling factors, including exceptional teams, diverse expertise, and infrastructure that aligns with his research agenda. Dr. Qiu elaborates, stating, “Not to mention a lot of existing effort towards connected vehicles and cooperative perception with infrastructure support. Our Innovation Corridor collaboration with the City of Riverside provides a path to prototyping and deployment of cooperative perception and sustainable and smart transportation.”
However, it's not a one-sided gain – Dr. Qiu's extensive knowledge in wireless communication and cooperative autonomy stands to significantly enhance CE-CERT's overarching mission.
Recalling a past research challenge, Dr. Qiu talked about the limited transportation infrastructure available for vehicle and infrastructure collaboration. Instead of being deterred by these limitations, he saw an opportunity to innovate in the realm of cooperative autonomy when infrastructure support is lacking, a situation common in the current landscape. This shift in perspective led to surprisingly successful research endeavors and award-winning publications, demonstrating Dr. Qiu's resilience and adaptability.
Dr. Qiu heads the Collaborative Intelligence Systems Lab (CISL), where his lab works to invent collaborative intelligence in networked cyber-physical systems. His goal is to build and deploy end-to-end cooperative autonomy that bridges various forms of intelligence to achieve novel collective capabilities. Dr. Qiu shares his vision, saying, "I’m looking forward to working with students with diverse backgrounds, from networking to robotics, vision, systems, and security to build interdisciplinary intelligent systems that benefit human lives."
Acknowledging the inherent challenges of systems research, Dr. Qiu emphasizes the initial overhead in building complex systems, especially when involving multiple agents and researchers from diverse backgrounds. To overcome these hurdles, he plans to ensure the continuity and maintenance of research work within his group while also branching out into new topics and areas.
Dr. Qiu aims to create a positive feedback loop within his research group, allowing senior students to mentor junior students and extend existing work to new directions, thereby nurturing the next generation of researchers. "This forms a positive feedback loop to give the proper training in research and mentoring to every student in the pipeline and boosts their success," Dr. Qiu remarks.
Outside of his research, Dr. Qiu is passionate about music, sports, travel, and photography. He enjoys spontaneous road trips to national parks, where he relishes watching sunrises and sunsets from various landmarks and stargazing at night. In between these adventures, Dr. Qiu emphasizes the importance of finding balance through regular engagement in sports, music, and other day-to-day hobbies.
Dr. Hang Qiu's arrival at CE-CERT brings a fresh perspective and an ambitious vision for the future of collaborative intelligence in cyber-physical systems. His dedication to mentoring students and his passion for life outside of academia make him a valuable addition to the CE-CERT community. We eagerly anticipate the research and innovations that will emerge from his collaborative intelligence endeavors in the years to come.
Read more about Dr. Hang Qiu's research and lab at https://cisl.ucr.edu/research/.