Copied from: https://ethz.ch/staffnet/en/news-and-events/internal-news/archive/2026/06/two-robotics-professors-receive-ieee-awards.html
Roland Siegwart and Robert Katzschmann from the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering (D-MAVT) at ETH Zurich were honoured by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Roland Siegwart, IEEE Fellow and Professor of Autonomous Systems at D-MAVT, has been awarded the IEEE Robotics and Automation Award 2026, one of the most prestigious honours in robotics. The award recognizes his substantial contributions to robot design and autonomous navigation in unstructured environments.
Siegwart is internationally recognized as a leading researcher in robotics, navigation, and autonomous systems. His work focuses on developing robots capable of operating independently in complex and dynamic environments. Together with his team, he has developed numerous robotic systems for applications on the ground, in the air, and in water. He has also made significant contributions to the transfer of research into practice and has been involved in the founding of several companies.
Robert Katzschmann, Assistant Professor of Robotics at D-MAVT, received the prestigious IEEE RAS Early Academic Career Award in Robotics and Automation. The award recognizes his pioneering work in bioinspired musculoskeletal and biohybrid robotic systems that advance real-world interaction, sensing, and autonomy in complex environments.
Katzschmann has been a professor at ETH Zurich since 2020 and founded the Soft Robotics Lab. His group develops adaptive and intelligent robotic systems that enable highly sensitive and flexible interaction with their environment.
The awards were presented on 4 June 2026 at the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2026) in Vienna, Austria.
IEEE is the world’s largest technical professional organization and a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Its societies and committees shape the development of numerous engineering disciplines through conferences, scientific publications, technical standards, as well as professional and educational activities. The IEEE Awards recognize outstanding scientific and technological achievements and are internationally regarded as significant honors in the engineering and technological sciences.









