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How do you build an independent research career when uncertainty, rejection and self-doubt are part of the job?

In this episode of Human Stories Behind the Robots, Professor Shan Luo, Chair of Robotics and AI at King’s College London, shares his journey through tactile sensing, computer vision and robot perception. He explains how moving between universities, countries and disciplines helped him combine different ideas and develop a distinctive research identity.

Shan also offers practical and honest advice for early career researchers. He discusses securing major research funding, strengthening proposals through feedback and mock interviews, communicating across disciplines, managing the many responsibilities of academic life and responding constructively to failure. He also reflects on imposter syndrome, parenthood, productivity and why seeking advice is one of the most valuable habits an ECR can develop.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• how to develop an independent research vision
• what makes a compelling grant or fellowship application
• why early feedback and mock interviews matter
• how interdisciplinary experience can strengthen your career
• why uncertainty and imposter syndrome are normal in research
• how to learn from rejection and unexpected results
• why seeking advice can help you identify and correct blind spots
• how to balance ambitious goals with the realities of academic life

The purpose of this podcast is to inspire students and early-career researchers, building our academic robotics community by sharing the human stories behind the robots.

Email: ​​uk-ras@manchester.ac.uk for questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the UK-RAS network, you can follow us on X and Linkedin or visit our website to find out more www.https://uk-ras.org.uk/ Produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The UK-RAS network does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

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What happens when a research idea seems too ambitious, too unfamiliar or simply too early for the world to understand?

In this episode of The Human Stories Behind the Robots, Prof Sabine Hauert OBE shares her journey from experimenting with flying robot swarms to developing technologies that could fight wildfires, monitor environments, and transform cancer treatment. If you are just starting your research career, it can be tempting to assume that success came easily to those who are now established in their fields. Sabine’s story shows a very different reality. She speaks openly about repeated rejection, ideas that took years to find support and the difficult journey from a promising laboratory experiment to technology that works in the real world.

Sabine also explores how she balances bold, blue-sky thinking with the need to show progress, co-creates projects with her students and communicates unfamiliar ideas so that others can understand their value. She shares how different role models have shaped her approach to leadership and how becoming a parent changed her relationship with time, travel and trying to do everything perfectly.

In this episode, you will discover:
How futuristic research can become a real-world solution
Why rejection is a normal—and valuable—part of research
How to balance bold ideas with tangible progress
Why storytelling helps unfamiliar ideas gain support
How curiosity, collaboration and role models shape a career
How parenthood changed Sabine’s approach to time and perfection

The purpose of this podcast is to inspire students and early-career researchers, building our academic robotics community by sharing the human stories behind the robots.

Email: ​​uk-ras@manchester.ac.uk for questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the UK-RAS network, you can follow us on X and Linkedin or visit our website to find out more www.https://uk-ras.org.uk/ Produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The UK-RAS network does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.

Do you have a question? Ask it here...

What does it take to build a meaningful career in robotics while navigating rejection, leadership, parenthood and the pressures of academia?

In this episode of The Human Stories Behind the Robots, John speaks with Dr Antonia Tzemanaki, Associate Professor in Robotics at the University of Bristol and leader of the Dexterous Manipulation and Wearable Robotics Group at Bristol Robotics Laboratory.

Antonia shares how curiosity and unexpected opportunities led her from electrical and computer engineering into medical robotics, haptics and teleoperation. She also reflects on becoming a research leader, redefining success, balancing academia with motherhood and learning to treat rejection as part of the journey.

What listeners will gain

Listeners will discover:

• How openness and cross-disciplinary collaboration can help researchers find their niche.
• Why meaningful research should be guided by real human and clinical needs.
• How success can evolve from personal achievement to helping a team flourish.
• Practical ways to learn from rejected papers and funding proposals.
• Why mentors, supportive colleagues and a sense of belonging matter.
• How parenthood can reshape boundaries, priorities and definitions of success.
• What early-career researchers should look for in a healthy workplace culture.

Key takeaway

Antonia’s story shows that a successful career does not require a perfect plan. Curiosity, resilience and the right people can open unexpected paths. Success is not only measured by grants and publications, but also by what you learn, the people you help and the environment you create for others.

The purpose of this podcast is to inspire students and early-career researchers, building our academic robotics community by sharing the human stories behind the robots.

Email: ​​uk-ras@manchester.ac.uk for questions or topic suggestions you may have for future episodes.

This show is brought to you by the UK-RAS network, you can follow us on X and Linkedin or visit our website to find out more www.https://uk-ras.org.uk/ Produced and directed by Heather Pownall of Heather's Media Hub Ltd and award-winning producer.

The opinions of our host and guests are their own; The UK-RAS network does not endorse any individual viewpoints, given products or companies. If you enjoyed this podcast, please rate, review and subscribe with the podcast provider of your choice.