Thu, Feb 26
|The Athenaeum
The Intersection of Robotics & AI: A Conversation with Professor Aaron Ames
We are so excited to invite you to the Caltech Y Friends Dinner featuring Professor Aaron Ames as he talks about the research being done on the intersection of robotics and AI at the Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST).
Time & Location
Feb 26, 2026, 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
The Athenaeum, 551 S Hill Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106, USA
About The Event
Caltech Y Friends Dinner
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Aaron D. Ames is the Bren Professor of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, Control and Dynamical Systems, and Aerospace at Caltech. He is also the Director and Booth-Kresa Leadership Chair of Center for Autonomous Systems and Technologies (CAST).
Professor Ames’ talk addresses safe and trustworthy autonomy for robots operating alongside humans. It outlines the foundations for safe autonomy by coupling learning with formal guarantees from control theory, with Control Barrier Functions encoding safety as forward set invariance. This leads to real-time safety filters that monitor commands—even from black-box, learning-enabled controllers—and adjust them only when necessary, integrating naturally within layered autonomy stacks. The framework has been demonstrated across ground vehicles, drones, aircraft, legged robots, and humanoids, paving the way for robots to safely collaborate with people in dynamic environments.
TICKETS
Tickets
Dinner Ticket
Don't forget to enter your discount code if you are a Friend of the Caltech Y (you should've received an email alerting you of your Friends status). Thank you for your continued support! If you are unsure if you are a Friend, please email Maya Rosental Saporito at maya.saporito@caltech.edu.
$200.00
Sponsor Caltech student(s)
This is a tax-deductible donation that includes dinner and admission to the event.
$100.00
Dinner & Become a Friend!
Please select this ticket option if you are not a current Friend of the Caltech Y, but would like to become one. This is an all-inclusive price for your meal and annual membership to our Friends program. Thank you for support! If you have any questions, please email Maya Rosental Saporito at maya.saporito@caltech.edu.
$300.00
Donate to Student-Led Service
All additional donations are tax-deductible going directly to student-led community service activities, such as Make-a-Difference Day, our largest day of service happening in April.
From $50.00 to $200.00
$50.00
$100.00
$200.00
Donation to the Caltech Y
This tax-deductible donation is an unrestricted gift to the Caltech Y.
$+Ticket service fee
Total
$0.00