NRT-FW-HTF: Convergent Next-Generation Robotics Training: Leadership, Entrepreneurship, and Adaptive Design amid a Changing World of Work

职场正在经历重大变革。据估计，在未来20年内，近一半的职业都有被自动化取代的风险。与此同时，美国国内的劳动力短缺已经影响了大流行后的恢复工作，在具有高健康和安全风险的职业环境中尤为明显。下一代机器人可以在工业环境中解决这些挑战，在工业环境中，人类的直接参与要么是极其危险的，不受欢迎的，要么是由于固有的障碍限制了可访问性而根本不可行的。教育项目需要为科学家提供开发设计解决方案的技术知识，以及对与负责任地部署机器人技术相关的问题的伦理理解，以补充未来工人的技能。为了满足这一需求，华盛顿州立大学（WSU）获得了美国国家科学基金会研究培训（NRT）奖，将建立一种多学科的方法，培训未来的机器人科学家、实践者和企业家在农业、核能和水下环境中机器人应用的设计、实施和影响。该项目将培养52名研究生，其中包括21名nrt资助的生物系统工程、心理学、化学、计算机科学、电气工程、机械工程和材料科学与工程专业的研究生。通过在领导力、企业家精神和应用心理学方面的基于问题的融合学习，再加上机器人和自主系统方面的尖端技术基础，这个NRT项目将培养跨学科研究和奖学金方面的领导者，他们将接受培训，评估下一代机器人技术对未来工人的社会心理影响。这些目标将通过以下途径实现：(1)软机器人、微型机器人和生物机器人领域的多学科研究；自治系统;柔性电子元件;仿生设备;以及人机协作；（ii）创业、领导力、监督教学以及下一代机器人技术对受影响员工群体的心理社会影响等领域的专业技能培训；（iii）通过课程、跨学科研讨会、参加会议和每两周一次的研究小组会议进行技术技能培训；（iv）通过实地考察、实习生实习、本科生指导和年度研究研讨会和博览会等方式，持续的社区参与。NRT学员将在课堂之外运用他们的技能，参与一项身临其境的实地研究，研究下一代机器人在果园自动化、核废料清理和水下救援/维修等领域的用户体验或市场可行性。美国国家科学基金会研究实习生（NRT）计划旨在鼓励开发和实施大胆的、具有潜在变革性的STEM研究生教育培训新模式。该项目致力于通过创新、循证、适应不断变化的劳动力和研究需求的综合培训模式，在高优先级跨学科或融合研究领域对STEM研究生进行有效培训。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The world of work is undergoing momentous change. By some estimates, nearly half of all occupations are at risk of being automated within the next two decades. At the same time, labor shortages within the U.S. have compromised post-pandemic recovery efforts and are particularly pronounced in occupational environments with high health and safety risks. Next-generation robots can address these challenges in industrial settings where the direct involvement of humans is either extremely hazardous, undesirable, or simply not feasible due to inherent barriers that limit accessibility. Educational programs are needed to provide scientists with both the technical knowledge for developing design solutions and the ethical understanding of issues related to deploying robotic technology responsibly to complement the skills of future workers. To address this need, this National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to the Washington State University (WSU) will establish a multi-disciplinary approach to training future robotics scientists, practitioners, and entrepreneurs in the design, implementation, and implications of robotics applications within agricultural, nuclear, and underwater settings. The project will train 52 graduate students, including 21 NRT-funded trainees in Biological Systems Engineering, Psychology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science & Engineering.Through convergent problem-based learning in leadership, entrepreneurship, and applied psychology coupled with a cutting-edge technical foundation in robotics and autonomous systems, this NRT program will produce leaders in interdisciplinary research and scholarship who are trained to evaluate the psychosocial implications of next-generation robotic technology for future workers. These objectives will be accomplished via: (i) multi-disciplinary research in the areas of: soft-, micro-, and bio-robots; autonomous systems; flexible electronics; biomimetic devices; and human-robot collaboration; (ii) professional skills training in the areas of entrepreneurship, leadership, supervised teaching, and the psychosocial impacts of next-generation robotic technology on affected employee populations; (iii) technical skills training via coursework, cross-disciplinary seminars, conference attendance, and biweekly research team meetings; and (iv) sustained community engagement by means of site visits, trainee internships, undergraduate mentoring, and an annual research workshop and exposition. NRT trainees will apply their skills beyond the classroom by participating in an immersive field study examining the user experience or market feasibility of next-generation robots in the areas of fruit orchard automation, nuclear waste cleanup, and underwater rescue/repair operations.The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.