Joining the RT² Lab

RT² is recruiting MS/PhD students to start in Fall 2025 or Fall 2026! We are a new lab looking for fantastic people to help shape our lab’s culture and research program.

What Do We Look For in the Lab?

We are a full-stack robotics lab focused on designing technologies (algorithms, interfaces, and systems) for people. Every project is different, but our work generally benefits from skills in both computer science and engineering. While not all of these skills are required – we are excited to teach and work with students who are eager to learn – the following will be useful for conducting research in our lab:

• Robot control, programming, and perception (e.g., inverse kinematics, path planning, managing and calculating transformations, ROS/Ubuntu, impedance control, visual encoders/features, force-torque sensing and filtering) – we deploy our work on robot hardware and test it on tasks representative of domains such as manufacturing.
• ML/AI/algorithms (e.g., Python/C++, PyTorch training/fine-tuning generative AI models such as diffusion models and transformers, implementing algorithms using SciPy/NumPy) – we develop learning algorithms and shared autonomy approaches that leverage state-of-the-art AI/ML.
• Physical prototyping (e.g., CAD, 3D printing, laser cutting) – we often build custom tools for the end of our robots, new input devices, and representative task setups.
• Designing and conducting user studies (quantitative and qualitative) – we evaluate our work in user studies, and when possible, run studies with domain experts.

Prospective PhD and MS Students

Prospective graduate students who are not currently at UW-Madison are encouraged to apply directly to the CS MS/PhD program. You can learn more about the program here. We are not able to admit students directly, so please follow the department’s admission guidelines. If you are interested in RT², please mention working with Prof. Mike Hagenow in your application. The graduate school offers a limited number of fee waivers (check here to see if you are eligible).

Once you have applied – or if you are a current MS/PhD student – please email Prof. Hagenow with [Prospective MS/PhD Student] in the subject line and include:

• Your CV
• Past experiences in robotics/ML/engineering
• Relevant skills from the ‘What Do We Look For in the Lab’ section
• Any previous research publications – and your role in the research (note: this is not a requirement to join the lab)
• A paragraph on why you want to join the lab

Due to the high volume of interest, we may not be able to respond to every inquiry (though I will certainty do my best to do so).

I strongly encourage prospective students to apply for external support through fellowships. Fellowships are prestigious additions to your CV, and if awarded, they make it easier for PIs to recruit you to their lab (though I hope you choose RT^2). Fellowships can also offer greater flexibility in your research. If you have applied for or secured fellowship funding, please indicate it when you reach out. External support is not required to join the lab. After joining, I will support you in applying to programs where you are eligible and a good fit. Unfortunately, many of the graduate fellowships focus on domestic students. Some examples include: NSF GRFP, DOD NDSEG, NASA NSTGRO, Hertz Fellowship, Ford Foundation Fellowship, Meta PhD Fellowship, NVIDIA Graduate Fellowships, Microsoft Research PhD Fellowship.

Undergraduate Researchers

Each year, we generally recruit undergraduate researchers to join our lab. We view undergrads as core members of our lab and expect active participation in lab meeting, events, and cutting-edge research! Robotics research is exciting and fun, but has a steep learning curve due to complex hardware and software. Thus, we ask undergraduate researchers to commit to at least one year in the lab (we hope you stay longer). This helps ensure you have time to learn new skills and to make meaningful contributions to your project. We often also pair undergraduates together on projects, so you have a teammate for brainstorming/troubleshooting (in addition to offering mentorship from the lab PI and graduate students).

Prospective undergraduate researchers should reach out to Prof. Hagenow with [Prospective Undergrad] in the subject line and include:

• Your CV
• Past experiences in robotics/ML/engineering
• Relevant skills from the ‘What Do We Look For in the Lab’ section
• Any previous research experiences and your role in the research (note: this is not a requirement to join the lab)
• A paragraph on why you want to join the lab
• Whether you are interested in independent study credits

Postdoctoral Researchers and Visiting Scholars

We are not actively looking for any postdoctoral researchers or visiting scholars, however, if you are a strong fit for the RT² lab, please email Prof. Hagenow with your CV, description of past research, goals in seeking a postdoc/visiting position, and funding situation (if applicable).