UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1259 | Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement

Submission information

Submission Number: 1259

Submission ID: 20891

Submission UUID: 5238214c-b449-4fe4-bbc3-173495b456d2

Submission URI: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal

Submission Update: /urop-research-mentor-project-submission-portal?token=Iyvvy6lXhXBB0ypO0pCvJc0IsODZkcGhBgTH68h3hgQ

Created: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 04:29 PM

Completed: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 04:48 PM

Changed: Fri, 10/31/2025 - 03:30 PM

Remote IP address: 68.63.41.233

Submitted by: Anonymous

Language: English

Is draft: No

Webform: UROP Project Proposal Portal

Submitted to: UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal

Research Mentor Information

Primary Research Mentor Name Fengjiao Liu

Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns She/her

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Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) fliu@eng.famu.fsu.edu

Position Title Faculty

FSU College (if applicable) FAMU-FSU College of Engineering

FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Additional Research Mentor(s)

Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Yixiao Zhang

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns He/his

Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) yz24l@fsu.edu

Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns {Empty}

Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific? {Empty}

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Overall Project Details

Title of the Project Covariance Control for Stochastic Systems

Project Keywords control theory, uncertainty quantification

Are you currently looking for research assistants? No

Number of Research Assistants Needed 2

Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) Computer Science, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, Statistics, Data Science, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering

Project Location: The location is flexible, we can discuss on Zoom or on Engineering campus, or occasionally on FSU main campus

If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? No, the project is remote

Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): Fully Remote

Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 6 hours per week

Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)

Overall Research Project Description Covariance control is one way to quantify the uncertainty in dynamical systems and has applications in trajectory planning. This project aims to control the covariance matrix of the state vector in stochastic dynamical systems from a given initial state covariance to a desired target state covariance over a finite time horizon, while minimizing a quadratic cost function such as control energy. There are two separate objectives of this project:
1. For a linear stochastic system, design an optimal control law for covariance steering with partial constraint on the target state covariance.
2. For a hybrid stochastic system whose dynamics involve a combination of continuous evolution and discrete transitions, design an optimal control law for covariance steering.

Research Tasks literature review, problem formulation, mathematical analysis and proof, coding and simulation.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required: a good mathematical background, coding and programming skills.
Recommended: knowledge on ordinary differential equations, linear algebra, real analysis, probability, stochastic process, and control theory.

Mentoring Philosophy The students should have a good math background and are expected to work independently and plan their timelines. The advisor and students can have a short Zoom meeting biweekly to discuss progress and challenges.

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Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? No

Roundtable times and Zoom links {Empty}

UROP Program Elements

Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes

UROP Performance Evaluation Yes

Materials Grant Yes

UROP Poster Presentation Yes

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Year 2025

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