Dr. Sam Kherat is Adjunct Professor at Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, USA, and affiliated with Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. Prior to that, Dr. Kherat was the Dean of Graduate Studies, Research, and Incubators at Canadian University Dubai. Holding a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University and an MSEE from Bradley University, his expertise lies in field robotics, autonomous excavation, and mining systems. He played a pivotal role in DARPA Grand Challenges and Urban Challenge, managing projects for Caterpillar's collaboration with CMU (1st place) and Virginia Tech (3rd place). He founded and directed Caterpillar's Pittsburgh Automation Center, while also teaching at Carnegie Mellon University. Currently, he imparts robotics wisdom at Bradley University and advocates for lean product development. Dr. Kherat has authored publications in esteemed journals like IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control and ASME. A sought-after speaker, he's presented at conferences including SAE's Driver Assist and Autonomous Vehicle Technologies, IEEE's Industrial Forum, and AUVSI's Unmanned Systems Interoperability Conference. He also contributes to the Robotics Technology Consortium's Technology Committee.

The Pop in Your Job:
As a daily greeting, I would rather use the acronym “HM,” or Happy Monday, rather than TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) as everyday represents for me a new beginning, a new opportunity. I have the best job in the world as I am involved in automating those dull, difficult, dirty, and often dangerous jobs in mining and construction sites. I am also an educator who is committed to being the catalyst assisting students find a career passion. It is specifically in education where I found that Artificial Intelligence (AI) yields magic. Because each student has unique abilities that are very difficult to assess using standardized testing, AI algorithms are perfectly suitable to eliminate instructor’s bias and guesswork making graduates more employable; or at least, minimize the ramp up time as new hires.

Bradley University: where boundary breakers and new thinkers thrive. Founded in 1897 by visionary Lydia Moss Bradley, who brushed off convention to create a school the world needed. Today, Bradley University continues to evolve and embrace progress, leading through innovation and excellence. Bradley offers a comprehensive array of undergraduate and graduate academic programs in business, communications, education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, liberal arts and sciences, and technology. Distinctive programs include entrepreneurship, game design, hospitality leadership, internal auditing, music and entertainment industry studies, sports communication, and physical therapy. Bradley’s 85-acre residential campus is located in a historic neighborhood just one mile from downtown Peoria, Ill. — the largest metropolitan area in downstate Illinois — and is three hours from Chicago, St. Louis and Indianapolis.