Monica Perez Serrano

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Home University:
Universitat Politècnica de Barcelona (UPC), Spain

Visiting Lab:
Robotic Systems Lab (RSL), with Prof. Marco Hutter

Visiting University:
ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Year of visit:
6 months in 2021

Project:
Shared Autonomy for Quadrupedal Mobile Manipulation

“It has been a wonderful experience both professionally and personally. I have been able to combine working in my Master Thesis project with getting to know this beautiful country.”

1. Were you able to fulfill all your planned objectives?

Yes, I really wanted to do my Master Thesis in a pioneer lab in the field of robotics. Also, I was really looking forward to finding a project that combined software development, as well as working and testing with a robot. So, in that sense, I have been able to fulfill my planned objectives and I have learnt a lot along the way.

2. Did this experience inspire/enable you to continue your career?

This experience has been a boost for my career, both in terms of networking, as well as broadening my CV. It has been a way to meet people who work in the core of robotics research, some of whom may start their own start-ups or spin-offs in the near future and who will be looking for candidates to join their companies.

3. Did your host lab contribute to the quality of your research?

Absolutely, RSL is a very powerful lab, with a lot of knowledgeable people, as well as resources, which make research and learning more enjoyable and easier.

4. Do you feel your association with NCCR Robotics has had an overall impact on your studies and future career?

NCCR Robotics has given me the opportunity and necessary support to conduct my Master Thesis in the field that I am passionate about in one of the best labs in the world.

In terms of my future career, I am sure being part of this community will help me find good job opportunities in the future.

5. What are you currently working on and what are your plans for the future?

Now I would like to get some work experience, figure out what my place is in robotics and expand my knowledge in the areas where I feel more inexperienced.

Once I figure out what path motivates me the most within robotics, maybe I would like to do a PhD in order to expand my knowledge and contribute to the robotics community with research work.