v.l.n.r./from left to right: Prof. Dr. Michael Roth, Prof. Dr. Yuki Asano, Prof. Dr. Gyburg Uhlmann, Prof. Dr. Wolfram Burgard, Prof. Dr. Michael Huth, Dr. Reihaneh Mirjalili, Prof. Dr. Isa Jahnke, Dr. Michael Fraas, Prof. Dr. Tamim Asfour; hinten/behind: Prof. Dr. Alexander Martin
With the successful defense of her doctoral thesis, Reihaneh Mirjalili set a precedent as the very first dissertation defense at the University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN). Her thesis ‘Leveraging Foundation Models for Enhancing Robot Perception and Action’ represents the results of three years of intensive research at the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence.
The Iranian-born researcher explores how large-scale AI “foundation models” can enhance robot perception and action in real-world environments. Her work integrates advanced vision-language and language models into robotic systems for tasks such as visual localization, semantic grasping, intelligent vacuuming, and robust manipulation. By enabling robots to reason about objects and scenes in a context-aware, adaptable way her methods significantly improve robots’ ability to operate reliably in complex, dynamic human environments.
“Language models, like the GPT models, can provide understanding, but the real breakthrough is enabling machines to turn that understanding into meaningful, context-aware actions” explains Mirjalili, who previously studied at the Technical University of Munich. “I am pleased to have completed my doctorate at UTN, and I am excited about the next steps.” For the time being, she will remain at UTN and continue her research in the area of robotics and artificial intelligence.
After her successful defense, Dr. Mirjalili was honored by her research group with a handmade doctoral hat.
Doctoral Research at Interdisciplinary Interfaces
“Reihaneh Mirjalili has made a valuable contribution at the intersection of language-based AI and robotics with her dissertation. Her research demonstrates how complex models can be applied in practical ways within dynamic environments. I warmly congratulate her on the successful defense of her thesis,” says Prof. Dr. Wolfram Burgard, Reihaheh Mirjalili’s advisor and founding chair of the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence.
Currently, more than 50 doctoral researchers are working at UTN, particularly on interdisciplinary interface topics. In addition to the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences also contributes to the development of a modern doctoral culture. This is characterized by interdisciplinary supervision, structured support, and the promotion of international networking.
The University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN), founded in 2021, is the first newly established public university in Bavaria since 1978. The UTN is a living laboratory building a university for the age of AI and the rapidly advancing changes in technology, business and society. The UTN strives to become a strong regional force in research, teaching and transfer and an internationally leading university of the 21st century with regional roots and a global outlook.
The 37-hectare, sustainable UTN campus will form the center of the new Lichtenreuth district in Nuremberg, close to the historic city center. Around 6,000 students, 200 professors and at least 2,000 employees will study and work there. Study programs will integrate aspects of technology, liberal arts, social sciences and natural sciences to ideally prepare students for the interdisciplinary requirements of the new world of work.
With the successful defense of her doctoral thesis, Reihaneh Mirjalili set a precedent as the very first dissertation defense at the University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN). Her thesis ‘Leveraging Foundation Models for Enhancing Robot Perception and Action’ represents the results of three years of intensive research at the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence.
The Iranian-born researcher explores how large-scale AI “foundation models” can enhance robot perception and action in real-world environments. Her work integrates advanced vision-language and language models into robotic systems for tasks such as visual localization, semantic grasping, intelligent vacuuming, and robust manipulation. By enabling robots to reason about objects and scenes in a context-aware, adaptable way her methods significantly improve robots’ ability to operate reliably in complex, dynamic human environments.
“Language models, like the GPT models, can provide understanding, but the real breakthrough is enabling machines to turn that understanding into meaningful, context-aware actions” explains Mirjalili, who previously studied at the Technical University of Munich. “I am pleased to have completed my doctorate at UTN, and I am excited about the next steps.” For the time being, she will remain at UTN and continue her research in the area of robotics and artificial intelligence.
by her research group with a handmade doctoral hat.
Doctoral Research at Interdisciplinary Interfaces
“Reihaneh Mirjalili has made a valuable contribution at the intersection of language-based AI and robotics with her dissertation. Her research demonstrates how complex models can be applied in practical ways within dynamic environments. I warmly congratulate her on the successful defense of her thesis,” says Prof. Dr. Wolfram Burgard, Reihaheh Mirjalili’s advisor and founding chair of the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence.
Currently, more than 50 doctoral researchers are working at UTN, particularly on interdisciplinary interface topics. In addition to the Department of Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences also contributes to the development of a modern doctoral culture. This is characterized by interdisciplinary supervision, structured support, and the promotion of international networking.
Pictures for Download:
Group photo Dr. Mirjalili (c) UTN/Tobias Rühl
Dr. Mirjalili with doctoral hat (c) UTN/Tobias Rühl
About the University of Technology Nuremberg
The University of Technology Nuremberg (UTN), founded in 2021, is the first newly established public university in Bavaria since 1978. The UTN is a living laboratory building a university for the age of AI and the rapidly advancing changes in technology, business and society. The UTN strives to become a strong regional force in research, teaching and transfer and an internationally leading university of the 21st century with regional roots and a global outlook.
The 37-hectare, sustainable UTN campus will form the center of the new Lichtenreuth district in Nuremberg, close to the historic city center. Around 6,000 students, 200 professors and at least 2,000 employees will study and work there. Study programs will integrate aspects of technology, liberal arts, social sciences and natural sciences to ideally prepare students for the interdisciplinary requirements of the new world of work.
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