64. Dr. Ayanna Howard on building the next generation of builders

Accomplished roboticist, entrepreneur and educator Dr. Ayanna Howard became dean of The Ohio State University College of Engineering in March 2021. In this episode we talk with Dr. Howard about her work at Ohio State building the next generation of builders, the relationship between industry and academia in innovation, and creating tech opportunities for all students.Previously she was chair of Georgia Tech’s School of Interactive Computing, as well as founder and director of the Human-Automation Systems Lab (HumAnS for short). Her career spans higher education, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the private sector. Dr. Howard is the founder of Zyrobotics, a Georgia Tech spin-off company that develops mobile therapy and educational products for children with special needs. Its products are based on Dr. Howard’s research. Among many accolades, Forbes named Dr. Howard to its America's Top 50 Women In Tech list. In May 2021, the Association for Computing Machinery named her the ACM Athena Lecturer in recognition of fundamental contributions to the development of accessible human-robotic systems and artificial intelligence, along with forging new paths to broaden participation in computing.Connect with Dean Howard on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ayanna-howard/Learn more about Ohio State's College of Engineering: www.engineering.osu.edu