[shorts_theory]

Thanks for sharing this. As a Masters' student currently studying robotics, I felt pretty overwhelmed with all the sub-fields when coming from a computer science degree in undergrad. I only got a clear understanding of what I was interested in after a year of courses. I think joining a lab and learning as you go is sound advice, but if you really want to do some novel research, you would need a semester or two of courses just to be able to contribute (by which time you would have almost finished your masters). It also seems like a lot of research directions gravitate towards deep RL when classical approaches could work just as well, if not better.

Also, unfortunately due to COVID, most of the work I've done with robotics has only been in simulation and I've found myself frustrated by the limitations of the simulator or the work required to simulate a real world scenario. Working with real world data might be slower, but it's a lot more satisfying when it works.

[brewdad]

I'm starting to see some undergraduate programs offering Robotics Engineering degrees. What are your thoughts on pursuing one of those rather than a more traditional engineering discipline (Mechanical, Electrical, CS, etc.)?

[aramachandran7]

I’m currently an undergrad student considering studying robotics eng. at my university. (Olin College of Engineering)

It depends on how the university structures their program, but for us it’s extremely open-ended, besides a few basic fundamental courses. They essentially want you to choose a concentration and pursue that concentration in your robotics projects throughout the 4 years.

It’s a risky choice for us, as unless you have some cool projects to show at the end you could end up ‘not concentrating in anything’ in particular, as robo is such a general field. But if you know what you want to do the flexibility can be nice.

[brewdad]

Thanks for your perspective. My son is looking at Miami(OH)'s new RE program. Theirs is a blend of required ME, EE, and CS classes with students adding an additional 2-3 courses in one of the 3 areas.

My biggest concern, as a parent, would be having him be a jack of all trades, master of none at the end of his BsE and having a hard time getting hired or into a Masters program.

[aramachandran7]

Yeah exactly - the key is having a strong advising network to make sure you’re on the right track throughout your time in undergraduate.