Welcome!

We acknowledge that maintaining an inclusive environment requires ongoing and active effort, and we are dedicated to continually learning and improving our support for diversity and inclusion. We value the experiences and perspectives of all members of our community and believe that a diverse and inclusive culture is crucial for fostering excellence in research and achieving our goals

PhD students:

We typically have 1-2 PhD opening each year. (The positions for Fall 2025 are fulfilled.)

To apply, interested candidates should submit an application to Arizona State University via https://webapp4.asu.edu/dgsadmissions/, specifying their interest in working with Dr. Sun. Additionally, they should send an email titled “Prospective Ph.D. Student” or “Prospective Master Student” to jiefeng.sun@asu.edu, attaching their CV and a cover letter before submitting their application.

We usually have several rounds of interviews. Please refer to the post: student admission process

Master students:

Masters Thesis

I am seeking multiple highly motivated Master students or undergrads to conduct theses in artificial muscle and soft robotics, starting in Summer/Fall 2024.

To apply, interested candidates should send an email titled “Prospective Master Student for Thesis” to jiefeng.sun@asu.edu, attaching their CV, transcript, and a cover letter. Due to time limitations, Dr. Sun is not able to advise Masters Projects at this time. Please consider a Masters Thesis, as the opportunities for producing high-quality, publishable work is enhanced via the thesis route.

I am hiring multiple students to work on underwater robot and quarduped robots

Undergraduate students:

We welcome undergraduate students who are interested in gaining research experience in the areas of robot design, microcontrollers, mechanics, and control. Due to the significant amount of training required, we prefer students who are interested in longer-term (one year or more) research projects. ASU undergraduate students are encouraged to email your interest and experience directly to Dr. Sun.

Barrett Honors Thesis

Dr. Sun has availability to serve on Barrett Thesis committees, provided the student is willing to commit to submitting their work to a conference or journal at the end of their project.

For more information, see https://barretthonors.asu.edu/academics/thesis-and-creative-project/

Topics
1. Design of Novel Dielectric Fluid Artificial Muscle
In this project, you will develop a novel artificial muscle, characterize its performance, and simulate it with physics-based simulators. Preferred skills: knowledge and hands-on experience in materials, mechanical design, and fabrication.

2. Fish robot.
In This project, you will build novel fish robot that can efficiently swim in complex flow.

Funding for Master and Undergrad students

Students who are doing thesis with me will have my full support to get funding from the following programs:

Hourly-payed grader I am teaching a class every semester. Students who are doing research in my lab usually get the grader position ($15 - $16 per hour).

MORE (for master students) The MORE Initiative is a unique opportunity to get involved in research during your masters experience. Please see Dr. Sun at the beginning of the semester in order to plan your MORE application. Deadline is middle of March and Oct each year.

FURI (for undergrads) The FURI Initiative is a unique opportunity to get involved in research during your undergrad experience. Please see Dr. Sun at the beginning of the semester in order to plan your FURI application. Deadline is middle of March and Oct each year.

SURI The student will receive a $5,000 stipend, housing and some living expenses during the summer each year. Deadline is Feb. 1st. I will prioritize sudents who have already worked with me or potential PhD students.

Hourly-paid RA: We will provide hourly-paied positions for students who have been in the lab for a while (>3 months) and perform great.

Q & A

What is the advising style? At Sun Robotics Lab, we are dedicated to nurturing creativity, promoting collaboration, and achieving academic excellence among our students. We strongly encourage collaboration among group members and with external teams. Each group member will have regular discussions with the PI regarding their research ideas and progress. We will assign an independent project/task to each incoming student. As students gain expertise in the field, we expect them to identify new and exciting research directions and lead their own projects. We will have a weekly group meeting to discuss research ideas and literature studies, and we will also set up a weekly or biweekly meeting with each group member to discuss their progress and provide individual support.

I am a K-12 student/teacher and would like information for a school report, tour, help with my robotics team, a research internship, etc. My students and I are very excited about using robotics as a teaching tool to encourage interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) topics. We actively involved in outreach and are have an outreach webpage to answer your questions.

Visiting scholars/summer research interns are welcome to email Dr. Sun directly for available opportunities.