Join LASER

We appreciate your interest in the lab! We are currently recruiting Ph.D. students for fall 2026 (emphasis on RL/MPC, perception-aware planning, mechanical design/hardware), and a limited number of research-based M.S. students on a rolling basis. We are an interdisciplinary team, and motivated students with backgrounds in robotics, aerospace/mechanical engineering, computer science, controls, and related fields are encouraged to apply.

Prospective Ph.D. Students

We are always excited to have motivated researchers join our group:

1. Please indicate your interest on your application materials. Submit an official application to USC Viterbi’s Ph.D. program (ASTE/AME/ECE) by Dec-15 for fall admissions.
2. Make sure you select Prof. Albee as a faculty member of interest.
3. If you would like to email Prof. Albee directly, please send your CV and unofficial transcript with a brief description of your specific interest in the lab with subject line [LASER-APPLY].
   • Interviews begin in Dec/Jan, and USC fellowship recommendations are made by ~Feb, followed by RA offers in ~Mar.
   • Spring admissions are rare, but possible. Contact Prof. Albee if you have a special circumstance.
   • For current USC Ph.D. students @ USC: please send the above materials using subject line [LASER-APPLY].

M.S./Undergrad Students @ USC

If you would like to do a research rotation with the group, please send the following to Prof. Albee, with subject line [LASER-APPLY]:

• Your CV/resume
• Unofficial transcripts
• A brief description of your interest in the lab:
  • Any projects/papers that strike your interest.
  • What technical areas or projects you’d like to learn about.

(Due to the volume of mail we unfortunately might not be able to respond to all application-related emails individually.)