Professor Robin Chhabra joins new space tech training program
To help address the skills gap in the Canadian space industry, Robin Chhabra, a robotics and mechatronics engineering professor at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), will serve as a co-principal investigator for an innovative space technology training program. Led by Carleton University, the new initiative, Qualified Citizens of Space & Innovators (CREATE-qCSI), recently received $1.65M in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program. The program will offer a microcredential-based course curriculum covering all aspects of space technology, from design to utilization for highly-qualified personnel.
As a leading expert in space robotics technology, artificial intelligence, and space accessibility, professor Chhabra is excited to share his experience and passion for space exploration with students. He’ll be developing and teaching one of the microcredentials focused on robotic systems, guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), and AI-enabled perception for space manipulators. As part of their learning students will work in his Embodied Learning and Intelligence for eXploration and Innovative soft Robotics (ELIXIR) Lab at TMU, where they’ll apply course concepts in realistic experimental setups. Students will get hands-on with robotic arms, motion tracking systems, and simulation platforms for orbital and planetary robotics scenarios.
Professor Chhabra working with students on robotics at TMU’s ELIXIR Lab.
In his role, professor Chhabra will also help coordinate internship opportunities and organize annual symposiums with leading industry partners, including MDA Space. These initiatives are designed to equip highly qualified personnel with the skills needed to meet the technical demands of the Canadian space sector. Through collaboration and an inclusive, experiential learning model, the CREATE-qCSI program is positioned to help shape Canada’s future space workforce.
