Dennis Hong

Dennis Hong is an internationally recognized roboticist, inventor, and educator best known for pushing the boundaries of humanoid robotics and advanced machine locomotion. A professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Hong is the founding director of the university’s acclaimed Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory, commonly known as RoMeLa. His work blends engineering, creativity, and human-centered design, producing robots capable of walking, climbing, dancing, manipulating objects, and assisting people in dangerous or physically challenging environments.

Born in Los Angeles and raised partly in South Korea, Hong became fascinated with robotics as a child after watching "Star Wars" and seeing the iconic droids C-3PO and R2-D2 on screen. That early inspiration evolved into a lifelong pursuit of building robots that improve human lives. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison before completing both his master’s and doctoral degrees at Purdue University.

Before joining UCLA in 2014, Hong established himself as one of the leading innovators in robotics research. He developed several groundbreaking robotic systems, including the three-legged walking robot STriDER, the air-powered robotic hand RAPHaEL, and the world’s first car designed to be driven by blind individuals. At RoMeLa, he and his students have continued to create advanced humanoid robots such as THOR and ARTEMIS, designed for disaster response, hazardous operations, and human assistance. His lab has also earned international acclaim through competitions like RoboCup and the DARPA Robotics Challenge.

Hong is widely admired not only for his technical innovations, but also for his philosophy of creativity-driven engineering. He frequently emphasizes imagination, experimentation, and joy as central to scientific discovery, encouraging students to think beyond traditional academic boundaries. His TED and TEDx talks, media appearances, and public demonstrations have helped make robotics more accessible and inspiring to global audiences. The Washington Post once referred to him as “the Leonardo da Vinci of robotics,” a reflection of both his inventive spirit and multidisciplinary approach.

Beyond the lab, Hong has become a prominent ambassador for robotics and STEM education internationally. He participated in the 2018 Winter Olympics torch relay in South Korea, famously handing the Olympic flame to a humanoid robot, and was later appointed an honorary ambassador for Seoul because of his contributions to robotics and innovation.

He is also a serious gourmet chef and a magician performing annual charity magic shows and lectures on the science of magic.