Zih-Yun “Sarah” Chiu is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and a member of the Johns Hopkins Data Science and AI Institute. Her research goal is to develop the next generation of intelligent robots that can see, plan, move, and learn with the expertise of skilled medical professionals.
Chiu’s work focuses on the mathematical modeling of various medical and general knowledge and leveraging these models to empower robots with the ability to operate in complex medical environments precisely, safely, and efficiently. Her research also explores the seamless integration of robotic perception, planning, control, and learning to unlock the full potential of autonomous agents in challenging and dynamic settings.
Recognized as a 2024 Rising Star in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and a 2025 Robotics: Science and Systems Pioneer, Chiu received the Best Paper Award in Medical Robotics at the 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) and a Best Poster Award at the 2023 ICRA Workshop on New Evolutions in Surgical Robotics.
She obtained a PhD in electrical and computer engineering in 2025 from the University of California, San Diego and a BS in electrical engineering from National Taiwan University in 2017.