Aaron Parness

Aaron Parness, Ph.D. is the supervisor for the Robotic Climbers and Grippers group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. He received two Bachelor of Science degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Masters of Science and Doctor of Philosophy from Stanford University. Currently, he performs research on the attachment interfaces between robotic systems and their surrounding environment, working primarily on climbing robots and robotic grippers. An expert in novel methods of prototype manufacturing, Dr. Parness has experience in microfabrication, polymer prototyping, and traditional machining (both manual and CNC). He has also worked on mechanical part design and mechatronic systems during his career. He is the capture lead for the Moon Diver Mission concept.