Do you want to pursue your passion and become a leader in the field? Apply for this and work with Prof. Han!
Ph.D. Position Description
Prof. Zhao Han is always looking for Computer Science and Engineering Ph.D. applicants to join the RARE Lab in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa, Florida, USA.
Contents
In short, why you should apply
You will be advised by Prof. Han, who is a leading researcher in the emerging field of human-robot interaction (HRI) and also working in AI, augmented reality (AR), AI, hardcore robotics, and human-computer interaction (HCI). Prof. Han publishes in top-tier venues (e.g., HRI, ICRA, IROS) and serves on the top ACM/IEEE HRI conference organizing & programming committees. He has also received a Best Paper Award, two Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion awards, and one mentoring award for his inclusive excellence approach.
You will be a world-class Ph.D. student in the one-of-a-kind Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at USF, which is among the 71 most prestigious AAU universities, ranks 91 nationally (and keeps rising), and is a preeminent state research university. You will live and work in the subtropical Tampa Bay area (3 million population) of Florida (the third most populated and fastest growing sunshine state). If you drive 45 minutes west, you will be in top-ranked white sand beaches, and drive east for one hour, you will be in the world’s largest Walt Disney World and Universal resorts.
Why graduate school: Become a leader
Who we are looking for
Preferred candidates are self-motivated, hard-working, resilient, good communicators, creative, preferably with an M.S. degree and research experience, and interested in Prof. Han’s research, including
- interdisciplinary human-robot interaction (HRI)
- robot explainability/transparency
- augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR)
- human-computer interaction (HCI)
- design: robot platform/hardware design
- collaborative mobile manipulation/robotics
- AI/machine learning/cognitive modeling
- assistive robotics (e.g., human-robot handovers)
- references/natural language generation
As an interdisciplinary research lab, you are welcome to apply if you have a programming/computer science background and a bachelor’s and/or a master’s degree in computer science, robotics, informatics/HCI, engineering, psychology, design, cognitive science, or any related area. Applicants with a non-computing bachelor’s degree need to demonstrate knowledge in computing and programming, or are advised to enroll in the eight-month USF Pathway to Computing graduate certificate program or a master’s program.
What you can expect
With Prof. Han’s advice and your effort, you will be mentored and trained as a prolific and independent researcher. You will publish at top-tier conferences and journals (HRI, ICRA, IROS, et al.), network with world-class researchers, and become a national and international leader in human-robot interaction, robotics, and augmented reality.
Prof. Han has a strong publication record, a wide range of interdisciplinary expertise, and extensive award-winning mentoring experience.
The graduate assistant position includes a tuition waiver, a stipend, and a health insurance subsidy. Learn more by visiting the USF graduate assistantships resource center.
Application Process
Complete Application Package
You are required to prepare a complete application package:
- Official or Unofficial Transcripts (including the grade sheet and diploma, if applicable)
- Minimum 3.0/4.0 (84/100) in either your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Please refer to the Graduate Academic Requirements for details.
- If admitted, official transcripts and test scores must be submitted to Graduate Admissions, but unofficial transcripts/scores can be used to review the application.
- CV/Resume without page limit
- Statement of Purpose in PDF
- Please try to prepare your first version without using generative AI tools like ChatGPT
- Additionally, please mention Prof. Zhao Han as the first adviser, discuss how your research interests fit Prof. Han’s, and articulate at least two of his publications, including your own creative thoughts.
- Three Confidential Letters of Recommendation
- Must be on official letterhead with the recommender’s title and contact in PDF
- [Optional] PDF of GRE Scores
- While not required, providing GRE scores may increase your chances for admission.
- [If applicable] PDF of English Proficiency Scores
- To see if you are exempt from this requirement, please refer to the 2024-2025 Graduate Catalog.
- Please refer to the International Teaching Assistant Handbook for the speaking subscore or total score requirements.
For consideration, please
- Prepare a complete application package
- Apply through the USF graduate student admission with a complete application package
- Email your complete application package without the recommendation letters to zhaohan@usf.edu with your UNumber (USF ID).
- Once all recommendation letters have been submitted to the application portal, email Prof. Han to let him know
- Short-listed candidates will receive invitations for online interviews after the RARE lab priority deadline (see below)
Before an offer is sent, international applicants will go through the foreign principle process and foreign influence screening.
Application Deadline
All supporting materials (test scores, transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) must be received by the stated deadline. Any supporting materials received after the deadline may be reviewed on a space-available basis.
| RARE Lab Priority Deadline1 | College Priority Deadline2 | Final University Deadline3, 4 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Sep 1 | Sep 1 | Oct 15 |
| Fall | Dec 15 | Jan 15 | Feb 15 |
- Complete applications received by the RARE Lab priority deadline will receive early and maximum consideration, including interviews, funding, and offer notification within the first few weeks after department priority deadline.
- Complete applications received by the department priority deadline will receive maximum consideration, including funding, but are considered on a space-available basis.
- Complete applications received between the department priority deadline and the final university deadline are considered on a space-available basis.
- While we review applications, strong domestic applicants or those who are already in the US can still apply. Please email the graduate student advisor with Prof. Han cc’ed to confirm and for more information.
Questions
For questions about the graduate application process, you may find answers on the following web pages
- USF graduate student admission information
- Prospective graduate students
- USF international student admission information
Or contact
For additional questions, feel free to contact Prof. Zhao Han (preferably with a complete application package)!
Why Prof. Zhao Han
Zhao Han is an Assistant Professor in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at the University of South Florida. He leads the Reality, Autonomy, and Robot Experience (RARE) Lab.
Prof. Han’s research lies broadly in human-robot interaction (HRI), robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and augmented reality (AR). He focuses on designing, developing, and evaluating novel robotic systems and interactions, for embodied robots to be more capable and understandable while interacting, collaborating, and teaming up with humans.
Prof. Han has published over 40 peer-reviewed papers in venues like the top HRI, robotics, cognitive science, and linguistics conferences. He collaborates across universities like CMU and disciplines like Psychology.
He received the best long-paper award at INLG 2022 and the best late-breaking report third prize at HRI 2022. Previously, he had led teams to win multiple international and national robot competitions, including first place in the Panasonic Prototype 3D LiDAR Challenge and second place in the FetchIt Mobile Manipulation Challenge at ICRA 2019.
He serves as publications co-chair of HRI 2024 and HRI 2026 (the top HRI conference), program committee member of HRI 2023 to 2025, and general co-chair of AI-HRI 2022. In addition to research, he received two university-wide Mines Diversity, Inclusion, and Access (DI&A) awards in 2022 and 2023.
He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science (CS) from UMass Lowell, advised by AAAI Fellow Dr. Holly Yanco, and received his M.S. and B.S. degrees also in CS from the University of Manitoba in Canada. Before USF, he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Colorado School of Mines.
Why USF?
USF (University of South Florida) is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a prestigious group of 71 leading research universities in the United States and Canada.
USF ranks 45 among US public universities and 91 in the 2025 Best National Universities ranking by U.S. News & World Report.
USF is classified among “R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity”, and according to the National Science Foundation, USF spent $568 million on research and development in 2019, ranking it 43rd in the US and 25th among public universities.
Serving almost 50,000 students, USF is designated as a Preeminent State Research University by the Florida Board of Governors, receiving additional financial support from the state of Florida for student success and research.
Why Tampa, Florida, USA?
USF is located in the City of Tampa on the west coast of the Sunshine State of Florida. The Tampa Bay area has over 3 million population and is one of the top places to live. Tampa also ranked second place in the top 10 fastest-growing US tech hubs for IT talent by CIO.
Learn more about Florida Gulf Coast Living for why over 49,000 students have chosen USF as well as from the US, State of Florida, and local (Tampa Bay, St. Pete/Clearwater) resources.