Griffin Staples
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I have always wanted to do a graduate degree but wanted to get some industry experience. After working in industry for five years, I decided it was time to go back to school and get involved more deeply in robotics.
Why did you decide to study at UBC?
UBC is one of the top universities in Canada, so it was an easy sell. I also grew up in Vancouver, so studying here was a natural choice. Aside from that, a number of personal life circumstances led me back home.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
I was attracted to the idea of getting really deep into a problem and solving it as part of a thesis. The electrical and computer engineering department was a great choice as it spans a wide variety of areas I'm interested in — most importantly, robotics.
What was the best surprise about UBC or life in Vancouver?
Despite growing up in Vancouver, I never got to appreciate the UBC campus until I started studying at UBC. The campus is very beautiful.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your UBC graduate program?
Working in industry for a few years gave me a lot of perspective which has made my experience as a graduate student much better. You need to be able to manage your time well and be your own project lead — even when you don't know where you're going.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
Take some classes at the boundaries of your interests. Talk to and collaborate with as many people as you can — there are rarely so many talented and like-minded people ready to lend a hand than when you're in university.
Learn more about Griffin's research
I'm working to develop a bio-inspired autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for long-range ocean monitoring. Taking advantage of some recent advances in the field of AI-accelerated CFD and differentiable simulation, I'm developing a simulation framework to simultaneously optimize the shape and motion of bio-inspired AUV shapes. I'm also building and testing physical models to validate this simulation. I am also looking at developing a perception system for this AUV and brain which allows for greater underwater autonomy.