Dr. Christopher Kennedy received B.Sc. degrees from both the University of Maryland at College Park in physiology (cum laude) and Drexel University in mechanical engineering, and received the Ph.D. degree from Drexel University in mechanical engineering in 2004 with his advisor, Dr. Jaydev P. Desai. He is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the world renowned Engineering Research Center for Computer-Integrated Surgical Systems and Technologies (CISST) at Johns Hopkins University.

Dr. Kennedy's doctoral research in medical robotics was part of a collaborative effort between the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Drexel University, and the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Drexel University College of Medicine. During his graduate studies, Dr. Kennedy made several important contributions to the field of medical robotics. Among his most significant accomplishments were the development of a novel method for force-feedback in a teleoperation system using computer vision, development of a dynamic model of the Mitsubishi PA-10 robot arm for compliant motion control, and a novel method for the cancellation of heart motion during robot-assisted cardiac surgery (so that the surgeon can see a near stationary image of the operative site). His doctoral research resulted in three archival journal publications, and he has presented his results at several important conferences in the field, such as the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), and the IEEE/RSJ Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS).

In recognition of his outstanding research work, Dr. Kennedy received numerous awards for his research including "Best Poster in Emerging Technology", and "Honorable Mention in Emerging Technology" at Drexel University's Research Day. During his final year of graduate study, he was the recipient of Drexel’s prestigious Koerner Graduate Fellowship, which recognizes graduate students with the highest potential to become successful faculty members. With his exceptional background and deep commitment to research, he has proven himself to be an outstanding scholar, an excellent role model, and a true rising star!

In addition to his outstanding academic achievements, Dr. Kennedy has an impressive record of leadership and service within the Drexel community. He has served as an officer on several graduate student organizations, including the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Association (MEGA), and in his last year of graduate study served as the President of the Engineering Graduate Association (EGA). While president of the EGA, he organized a seminar series designed to prepare graduate students interested in academic careers, and he established a conference award that allowed several graduate students to attend conferences in their respective fields. During his graduate studies, he also participated in many outreach programs designed to educate high school students in the Philadelphia area and introduce them to the world of science and engineering. As a member of a robotics laboratory at Drexel, he learned the extraordinary potential of exciting technologies such as robotics as a means to inspire young students to pursue careers in engineering. As he develops his academic career, Dr. Kennedy will continue to motivate younger students towards careers in the sciences by introducing them to exciting technologies such as robotics.

 

Last Modified: Tuesday April 1, 2005