Ayanna Howard

Ayanna Howard is a trailblazing roboticist, AI expert and public thinker who brings high impact to virtual stages. She combines deep technical insight with a clear moral compass, crafting stories about how innovation touches our lives. Whether speaking about bias in AI, responsible robotics or inclusion in tech, she connects with leaders across sectors.

Her path spans science, entrepreneurship and academia. She earned a BSc in Engineering from Brown University, then MS and PhD in Electrical Engineering, Robotics and Computer Science from the University of Southern California. She also holds an MBA from Claremont Graduate University. During her graduate work and beyond, she joined NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, evolving through roles like Senior Robotics Researcher and Deputy Manager in the Office of the Chief Scientist. Later, she moved to Georgia Tech, where she founded the HumAnS (Human-Automation Systems) Lab, served as Endowed Chair in Bioengineering, led the School of Interactive Computing, and directed robotics PhD programmes. In 2021, she became Dean of the College of Engineering at Ohio State University, the first woman to hold that post. Alongside academia, she co-founded Zyrobotics, an edtech and assistive-robotics company, and holds board roles with Autodesk and Motorola Solutions.

Her record of achievement is formidable. She has over 250 peer-reviewed publications, multiple patents, and has delivered hundreds of invited lectures and keynotes. She was named ACM Athena Lecturer for her foundational contributions to accessible robotics and AI, especially in designing systems that mitigate bias and enhance trust. She has been recognised as one of Forbes’ Top 50 U.S. Women in Tech, and was cited among the 23 Most Powerful Women Engineers by Business Insider. Her work has ranged from the SnoMote robot series used to monitor Antarctic ice, to AI tools for children with physical or cognitive challenges through Zyrobotics. She has also been a vocal advocate for diversifying tech and reducing bias in algorithmic systems.

Ayanna speaks with authority and passion. Her virtual talks span themes such as “Can we trust AI?”, “Ethics in autonomous systems”, “AI and diversity in innovation” and “Robots in health and education.” She weaves real stories from her work – robotics in homes, AI in therapy, systems becoming unfair when built by homogeneous teams. Her audiences include executives, technologists, policy makers and educators. Booking her as a virtual keynote or workshop ensures your event features scientific depth, moral clarity and inspiration to act.