Introducing our new scientific staff member Mauricio Muñoz-Arias

On October 1st, 2023, Mauricio Muñoz-Arias started as an Assistant Professor with an education profile in Autonomous Systems. Mauricio will set up his research in the Dynamics and Vibrations group of ENTEG and will maintain a strong collaboration with the Faculty’s Engineering and Design Systems group. Mauricio will also have a leading role in setting up the new Engineering Doctorate programme in Autonomous systems at the University.

Mauricio's primary areas of interest encompass developing bio-inspired systems and modelling and controlling (nonlinear) physical systems for robotics, space exploration, and renewable energy applications with a special dedication to autonomous systems. These multifaceted research pursuits exemplify his commitment to bridging the worlds of industry and academia.

Biography
A licentiate degree in Electronics Engineering was given to Mauricio by the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, Cartago, Costa Rica, in 2004, followed by the awarding of a PhD degree in Systems and Control by the University of Groningen in 2015.

Prior to joining our institute, Mauricio tackled a diverse array of challenges during his professional journey. Between 2004 and 2007, Mauricio served as a field engineer for the Kimberly-Clark Corporation. During this tenure, a spectrum of challenges was addressed, encompassing the analysis of production processes, design and implementation of electromechanical systems, and leadership in high-temperature adhesive technology for eight production lines.

In 2008, 2015, and 2016, instructional responsibilities were assumed as a lecturer in Electronics Engineering at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, specialising in telecommunications systems and control engineering. From 2017 until September 2023, Mauricio was employed as a university lecturer with the University of Groningen, specialising in Industrial Engineering and Management. In this capacity, he played a pivotal role in coordinating course units such as Mechanical Craftsmanship and Research and Design Methodologies for the BSc programme and overseeing Design Projects within the industry for the MSc programme