Updated join_us.html page

Author: alecive

_posts/2019-01-01-Join-us.md

@@ -1,92 +1,62 @@
 ---
 title: We are looking for students!!
-description: In particular, people who think robotics is cool.
+description: Build the future of Human-AI Teaming at CU Boulder
 permalink: join_us.html
 ---
 
-{% include image.html url="be_boulder.jpg" %}
+{% include video.html url="//www.youtube.com/embed/I5gXYuJj62k" margin-bottom="40px" padding-bottom="52%" max-width="100%" %}
 
-**Want do to robotics?**{:.color-banner}
-We are looking for graduate students and research assistants to join our group at University of Colorado Boulder and conduct research in Human-Robot Interaction, Robot Control and Artificial Intelligence. For more information about our research and potential student projects, please [visit our research page]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link research.html %}).
+We are looking for exceptional Ph.D. students, Master's researchers, and undergraduate assisants to build the next generation of robot workers, collaborators, and assistants. For more information about our research, please [visit our homepage]({{ site.baseurl }}{% link index.html %}).
 
-For _{{ site.meetings.semester }}_, we will be holding group meetings **{{ site.meetings.location }}**{:.color-banner}{{ site.meetings.note }}. Feel free to stop by if you want to have a chat!!
+Our work is ambitious, impactful, and often goes against the grain. We work on what’s hard, and we focus on important problems with potential for positive societal impact. We have built a large and diverse group that attracts top talent from leading institutions and consistently produces award-winning research. Many of our students have gone on to secure highly competitive fellowships and leadership roles in academia and industry.
 
-## Who you are
+**📆 Meet Us!** We hold open group meetings during the semester. For _{{ site.meetings.semester }}_, we will be holding group meetings in **{{ site.meetings.location }}**{:.color-banner}{{ site.meetings.note }}. Feel free to stop by if you want to have a chat!!
 
- * Somebody who likes robotics
- * Somebody dedicated to achieving their graduate and career goals
- * An inquisitive and independent individual who works hard because she likes what she does (in return, I will work hard for _your_ success)
- * Somebody with experience in and/or exposure to (depending on level of seniority):
-   * C++ and/or Python
-   * Git and/or other versioning system
-   * Kinematics, Computer Vision, Robotics, Control, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing (in no particular order)
-   * Linux (all the robot code runs on Ubuntu)
-   * ROS, the Robot Operating System
- * You do not need to be an expert programmer if you have strong background in electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering or industrial/product design.
+# Why join the HIRO Group? 
 
-It is not necessary to have _all_ the skills listed above!! However, experience with at least one of the tools/techniques and willingness to learn others as needed will allow us to do some cool research!
-At the end of your project, you will have expertise in (in random order):
+{% include image.html url="be_boulder.jpg" %}
 
- * ROS, the Robot Operating System
- * Robotics perception
- * Robotics control
- * Computer science skills
- * Machine learning (depending on project)
- * Optimization techniques (depending on project)
+ 1. **World-class Research and Impact.** We focus on ambitious, high-impact problems at the frontier of robotics and AI, supported by major funding from NSF, NASA, the Department of Defense, and leading industry partners. Our group has earned multiple Best Paper Awards and nominations (HRI 2023 and HRI 2024), and our students are consistently recognized with top national fellowships, including the NSF GRFP, NASA NSTGRO, and the Apple Scholars Fellowship. Our alumni have gone on to top industry roles at places like Amazon and Meta, as well as prestigious academic labs at Stanford, Yale, UT Austin, and others.
 
-If all goes well, a conference publication for the senior projects is more than reasonable. Plus, a cool robot demo is always something to be proud of!! :sunglasses:
+ 2. **Modern Tech Stack and Hardware.** We believe in training students on the tools that will define the next decade of robotics. From torque-controlled manipulators like the Franka Emika Panda to high-performance GPU clusters for large-scale learning, our lab gives students hands-on access to the systems and compute that power cutting-edge robotics research.
 
-## How to get involved
+ 3. **The Boulder Advantage.** We are surrounded by a remarkably strong ecosystem of top AI and robotics companies, from major industry leaders to fast‑moving startups. And you get to do it while living in Boulder, one of the happiest cities in the U.S., with world-class hiking, skiing, and climbing just blocks from the lab.
 
-### If you are a current CU student
+# Who we are looking for
 
-If you are a current CU student [graduate or undergraduate], please [send me an email](mailto:{{ site.email }}) with the subject: **[RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY]**{:.color-banner}.
-Before reaching out to us, it is highly recommended that you look at Section 1 of our [new member to-do list](new_member.html). Hitting the ground running in terms of understanding our research and proposing new ideas is particularly appreciated!
-Furthermore, please explain in your email why you want to work with us, and attach a transcript of your classes and a CV. If you have an on-line portfolio or code repository, provide a link to them as well in your email. Also, a shorter email is recommended--please be concise and to the point.
+We are looking for self-motivated researchers who are ready to own their projects. You don't need to know everything on day one, but you should be eager to master the modern robotics stack. 
+Ideal candidates have exposure to:
 
-### If you are a prospective graduate student
+ * **Languages**: Modern C++ (C++14/17) and Python 3.
+ * **Middleware**: ROS 2 (Humble/Jazzy) and DDS. Experience with Docker and CI/CD is a plus.
+ * **AI & ML**: PyTorch or JAX. Experience with Reinforcement Learning (RL) or Computer Vision.
+ * **Simulation**: Isaac Sim, Gazebo, MuJoCo, or Genesis. Sim-to-Real transfer is a core research area.
+ * **Hardware**: Experience debugging real physical systems (sensors, actuators, PCBs).
 
-If you are a prospective graduate student (PhD or MS), please [apply to the graduate program](https://www.colorado.edu/cs/apply/graduate-admissions)!
-If you have any further questions, feel free to [send me an email](mailto:{{ site.email }})  with the subject: **[PROSPECTIVE PHD STUDENT]**{:.color-banner}.
-If you want to know more about the graduate program, please [go here](https://www.colorado.edu/cs/apply/graduate-admissions). Here is an overview of the research performed in the Computer Science Department at CU Boulder:
+_Not a coding expert yet? If you have a strong background in Mechanical/Electrical/Aerospace Engineering and/or Cognitive Sciences/Psychology a drive to learn, we want to hear from you!_
 
-{% include video.html url="//www.youtube.com/embed/kDcX3g-ubmM" %}
+# How to get involved
 
-### If you are looking for postdoctoral positions
+## If you are looking for postdoctoral positions
 
 First, good choice! Doing a post-doc was my best decision ever.
-Second, as we are currently building up our laboratory, we are not explicitly looking for post-docs, but if you _really_ want to work with me, [shoot me an email](mailto:{{ site.email }}) and we can talk about it!
-
-## Our robots
-
-Currently, the {{ site.title }} has a Panda robot, a Sawyer robot, two LoCoBots, and a Kuri robot. More platforms are coming!
-
-### Panda Robot
-
-{% include image.html exturl="https://uploads.ifdesign.de/award_img_330/oex_large/253653_02_franka_emika_panda_2.jpg" description="Panda robot" %}
+Second, we are generally recruiting ambitious postdoctoral associates to take on leadership roles within the lab.
 
-### Sawyer Robot
+ * **The Opportunity:** You will mentor Ph.D. students, lead grant-writing initiatives, and have the freedom to define your own research agenda within the scope of Embodied and Social Intelligence. We view this role as "Pre-Faculty" training.
+ * **Fellowships:** We strongly encourage and support applications to internal (e.g. the CU Boulder Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship) and external funding opportunities. These prestigious programs offer a competitive salary, research funds, and a direct pathway to tenure-track positions for scholars committed to academic diversity and excellence.
+ * **To Apply:** Postdoc hiring does not follow standardized processes for admission. We recommend planning well in advance in order to be able to apply to funding and fellowships. If interested, please [send Prof. Roncone an email](mailto:{{ site.email }}) with the subject: with the subject: **[POSTDOCTORAL OPPORTUNITY]**{:.color-banner} and that includes your CV, a 1-page research statement, and a link to your Google Scholar profile.
 
-{% include image.html exturl="https://spectrum.ieee.org/image/Mjg2MjU0OQ.jpeg" description="Sawyer robot" %}
+## Prospective Ph.D. or Master's student
 
-### LoCoBot
-
-{% include image.html exturl="https://www.trossenrobotics.com/Shared/Images/Product/LoCoBot-PyRobot/Img0024.jpg" description="LoCoBot" %}
-
-### Kuri Robot
-
-{% include image.html exturl="https://www.heykuri.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Kuri_Home-Robot-Blog-default.jpg" description="Kuri robot" %}
-
-## Who I am
-
- * Someone who thinks robotics is cool!!
- * Someone who thinks robotics is cool because:
-   1. There are a lot of scientific problems to solve
-   2. There is a lot of engineering involved (and the engineering component is a scientific pursuit in its own right)
-   3. Both of them are challenging and interesting topics to work on
- * Someone with a couple cool robots waiting for people to use them
- * Someone who loves running, hiking, skiing, beach volley (but is not necessarily good at any of them)
+If you are a prospective graduate student (PhD or MS), please [apply to the graduate program](https://www.colorado.edu/cs/apply/graduate-admissions)! Deadline for Fall admission is **December 15th**; we usually do not admit students in the Spring semester.
+If you have any further questions, feel free to [send Prof. Roncone an email](mailto:{{ site.email }})  with the subject: **[PROSPECTIVE PHD STUDENT]**{:.color-banner}.
+If you want to know more about the graduate program, please [go here](https://www.colorado.edu/cs/apply/graduate-admissions). Here is an overview of the research performed in the Computer Science Department at CU Boulder:
 
+{% include video.html url="//www.youtube.com/embed/kDcX3g-ubmM" %}
 
 
+## If you are a current CU student
 
+If you are a current CU student [graduate or undergraduate], please [send Prof. Roncone an email](mailto:{{ site.email }}) with the subject: **[RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY]**{:.color-banner}.
+Before reaching out to us, it is highly recommended that you look at Section 1 of our [new member to-do list](new_member.html). Hitting the ground running in terms of understanding our research and proposing new ideas is particularly appreciated!
+Furthermore, please explain in your email why you want to work with us, and attach a transcript of your classes and a CV. If you have an on-line portfolio or code repository, provide a link to them as well in your email. Also, a shorter email is recommended--please be concise and to the point.