Dr. Jessica Burgner-Kahrs
Dr. Jessica Burgner-Kahrs is an Associate Professor with the Departments for Mathematical & Computational Sciences, Computer Science, and Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, the founding Director of the Continuum Robotics Laboratory, and Associate Director of the Robotics Institute at the University of Toronto, Canada.
From 2013 to 2019 she was with Leibniz University Hannover, Germany and from 2010 to 2012 with Vanderbilt University, USA. She received her Diplom and Ph.D. in Computer Science from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany in 2006 and 2010 respectively.
Her research focus lies on continuum robotics and in particular on their design, modelling, planning and control, as well as human-robot interaction. Her fundamental robotics research is driven by applications in minimally-invasive surgery, non-destructive inspection, and maintenance, repair, and operations.
In 2015, her research was recognized with the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize, the Lower Saxony Science Award in the category Young Researcher, and she was entitled Young Researcher of the Year 2015 in Germany. The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences awarded her the Engineering Science Prize in 2016. She was elected as one of the Top 40 under 40 in the category Science and Society in 2015, 2016, and 2017 by the business magazine Capital. In 2019, Jessica was nominated as Young Global Leader from the World Economic Forum.
Academic Positions
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
Continuum Robotics Laboratory, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga, Canada
Department of Computer Science, University of Toronto, Canada
Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Canada
Director Laboratory for Continuum Robotics
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
Director Emmy Noether Research Group CROSS
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Leibniz University Hannover, Germany
Medical Engineering and Discovery Lab
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Vanderbilt University, USA
Medical Robotics Group
Institute for Process Control and Robotics
Department of Informatics
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany
Education
2010
Doctor of Engineering (Dr.-Ing. ~Ph.D.)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Computer Science
2006
Diplom (~B.Sc./M.Sc.)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Computer Science
Honors & Awards
Young Global Leader
Awarded March 2019
Elected as Member of the Young Global Leaders Class of 2019 of the World Economic Forum
Young Elite – Top 40 under 40
2015 – 2017
Category: Science and Society, Capital (German business magazine)
Engineering Science Prize
November 2016
Awarded by the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), Germany for outstanding achievements in the engineering sciences by young engineers and scientists in research or industry.
Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize
May 2015
Awarded by the German Research Foundation and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research
The prize is considered the highest distinction for early career researchers in Germany. Since 1977 the prize is awarded by the German Research Foundation to early career researchers as a distinction for outstanding achievement across all disciplines.
It is intended to assist in furthering their scientific careers. The prize is not to be seen simply as a distinction of the thesis alone. Rather, prizewinners have already established an independent scientific career since having gained their doctorates.
IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Distinguished Lecturer
Awarded September 2018
Elected Landmark in the Land of Ideas
Awarded 2017
Young Researcher of the Year
2015
Awarded by Academics Career Portal for Research and Science of ZEIT and the German Association of University Professors and Lecturer (DHV), Germany
Emmy Noether Research Programme
2013 – 2019
IEEE Senior Member
Awarded May 2018
Elected Member of the Junge Akademie
Lower Saxony Science Award
November 2015
Category II: Young Researchers Awarded by the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony, Germany
Awarded by the state of Lower Saxony in Germany in distinction of early career researchers with significant contributions and outstanding performance in research and teaching.
Research Fellowship DAAD
2012 – 2013
Support Program: Returning German Scientists from Abroad, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)