[email protected]
Robert Full
UC Berkeley Biologist & Founder of the Center for Interdisciplinary Bio-Inspiration in Education and Research
Robert Full completed his undergraduate studies at SUNY Buffalo in 1979. He also did his graduate work at SUNY Buffalo, receiving a master's degree in 1982 and a doctoral degree in 1984. He held a research and teaching post doctoral position at The University of Chicago from 1984 to 1986 during which time he did research at Harvard University.
In 1986 he joined the faculty of the University of California at Berkeley as an Assistant Professor of Zoology. He was promoted to Associate Professor of Integrative Biology in 1991, and to Full Professor of Integrative Biology in 1995, a position he holds today. In 1996 he was given a Distinguished Teaching Award. In 1997 Professor Full became a Chancellor's Professor and the director of a new biological visualization center. In 1998 Professor Full received a Goldman Professorship for teaching.
In 2011, he became a Fellow of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. Professor Full directs the Poly-P.E.D.A.L. Laboratory which studies the Performance, Energetics and Dynamics of Animal Locomotion (P.E.D.A.L.) in many-footed creatures (Poly). His research laboratory applies the same techniques used in the study of human gait - 3D kinematic, force platform, and EMG analysis - but in miniature. His internationally recognized research program in comparative physiology and biomechanics has shown how examining a diversity of animals leads to the discovery of general principles of locomotion. General principles can then be used as hypotheses to explain the remarkable diversity in physiology and morphology in nature. His programmatic theme is Diversity Enables Discovery. At the same time, discovering the function of simple, tractable neuromechanical systems along with a knowledge of evolution can provide new design ideas applicable to the control of animal and human gait.
Recently, Professor Full's research has focused on the role of the mechanical system in self-stabilization. Full's research also has provided biological inspiration for the design of multi-legged robots and computer animations. His research interests extend from analyzing the pitching motion of a Hall of Fame pitcher to assisting computer animators make children's movies (Pixar/Disney Bug's Life).
In 1990 Full received a National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigators Award. In 1994 he presented his research at the Annual Meeting of the National Academy of Sciences. Professor Full's research has been featured in the popular press such as newspapers, various science magazines and on several television shows (CNN, NBC Today Show, ABC World News Tonight, Discovery Channel).
Related Speakers View all
Bill Drummy
Leading Experton Digital Strategy and Web Applicatio...
|
|
Evan Spiegel
Co-Founder & CEO of Snap Inc.
|
|
David Houle
Global Futurist & Strategist, Honorary President and...
|
|
Dick Costolo
Former CEO of Twitter and Co-Founder of Feedburner
|
|
Eldar Shafir
Professor Behavioral Science and Public Policy & Pro...
|
|
Dean Karlan
Behavioral Economist, Social Entrepreneur & Author
|
|
Ari Jonsson
President of Reykjavik University
|
|
Jeremy Heimans
Co-Founder & Chairman of Purpose; Best-Selling Autho...
|
|
Luke Williams
Bestselling Author, Professor of Business at NYU
|
|
Jason Silva
Emmy-nominated TV Personality; Futurist; Host of Nat...
|
|
Ben Rattray
Founder & Executive Chair of Change.org
|
|
Michael B. Horn
Expert & Author on the Future of Education & Blended...
|
|
Riley Crane
Growth Platform Lead at Cash App; Engineer, Physicis...
|
|
Ed Burns
Actor, Writer, Director, Producer; Author, “Independ...
|
|
Bill Gates
Co-Founder of Microsoft; Co-Chair of the Bill & Meli...
|
|
Edward Tenner
Smithsonian Institution Distinguished Scholar & Auth...
|
|
Mike Matas
While at Apple, Mike Matas helped write the user int...
|
|
Robert Tucker
Business Futurist, Innovation Expert & Best-Selling ...
|
|
Michael Gelb
Educator, Innovation & Creativity Expert; Author of ...
|
|
Alex Banayan
Author & World’s Youngest Venture Capitalist
|