Gustavo Assunção received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees, respectively in 2019 and 2024, from the University of Coimbra, Portugal. Currently he is a senior researcher with the IS3L team at the Institute of Systems and Robotics, also in Coimbra, Portugal. His focus has long geared towards biologically-inspired artificial intelligence and human-like robotics, with a focus on modeling neurophysiological processes and emulate them in machinery. His contributions have strongly been linked to autonomy and adaptability of artificial agents, enabling self-adjustment of their parameters and learning strategies, in response to intrinsic and environmental cues. These have resulted in several real-world applications in social and collaborative robotics.

His achievements reflect his strong foundation in key disciplines including neurophysiology, cognitive psychology, and automation. Through his research trajectory, Gustavo has acquired advanced competencies in experimental design, cross-disciplinary integration, and critical methodological evaluation. He has also assumed leadership responsibilities in both research and organisational contexts, including mentoring junior researchers, coordinating multi-institutional projects, and managing laboratory infrastructure. Collectively, these capabilities establish him as a pivotal contributor to the implementation and scientific advancement of the project.

CoDRI started from one of Gustavo’s initiatives, aiming to further narrow the gap between the several areas involved in this project, and using his experience to bring cobots a little bit closer to their human counterparts.