Black in Robotics’ Ayanna Howard, Monroe Kennedy III on diversity & inclusion
Professor Ayanna Howard (Georgia Tech, Zyrobotics) and Professor Monroe Kennedy III (Stanford), co-leads of Black in Robotics, discuss the organization's mission to promote diversity and inclusion in the robotics industry. They highlight systemic barriers, the need for 'pathways' rather than just a 'pipeline,' and the importance of ethical AI and representation in product design. The guests share personal journeys, the recent success of their kickoff event, and advice for aspiring roboticists, while the hosts discuss industry news including Nvidia's acquisition of Arm and Boston Dynamics' Spot robot.