Mission Statement

To foster a community of innovators dedicated to advancing robotics and AI for Earth and space sciences. Through open collaboration and artistic storytelling, we inspire interactions that transcend traditional boundaries, accelerating transformative discoveries.

Board of Directors

  • Jnaneshwar Das, Ph.D.

    Founder and President

    Jnaneshwar Das is an Assistant Research Professor at Arizona State University, with research focus on autonomous robotic systems and cyber-physical twins for advanced environmental mapping, sampling, and analysis. His interdisciplinary work spans terrestrial, aquatic, and extraterrestrial environments, integrating in-situ and ex-situ analysis for more precise environmental predictions.

    Dr. Das is a co-founder of OpenUAV, an open-source UAV testbed for education and research, and DeepGIS, an AI-powered platform for geospatial analysis and decision support.

  • Ramon Arrowsmith, Ph.D.

    Director and Secretary

    Ramon Arrowsmith is a Professor at Arizona State University (ASU), where he has taught since 1995. He specializes in geology, focusing on earthquake geology, fault zones, and the application of high-resolution topography data. With over 35 years of experience, he has contributed extensively to the study of active faults, tectonic geomorphology, and human origins.

    Dr. Arrowsmith is the cofounder and co-principal investigator of OpenTopography, a platform providing access to the world’s largest collection of freely available topographic data. He has led numerous workshops, short courses, and visioning activities, advancing the understanding of earthquake hazards and topographic data applications.

    In addition to his research, Dr. Arrowsmith has held leadership roles in the ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration, including Associate Chair and Associate Director for Graduate Studies. His work continues to bridge science and education to drive forward the understanding of Earth’s geological processes.

  • Harish Anand

    Director and Treasurer

    Harish Anand is a Member of Technical Staff at Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), specializing in software development involving machine learning, computer vision, and 3D graphics. He holds a Master's degree from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, where he focused on autonomous systems and simulation software.

    Harish has worked extensively on innovative projects, including the OpenUAV simulation framework, which enables photorealistic robotic simulations, and deep learning applications in geomorphological analysis. His research has contributed to advancements in the fields of robotics, geospatial data, and artificial intelligence.

    With a strong background in both academia and industry, Harish brings technical expertise and a passion for cutting-edge technology to the board, especially in the fields of machine learning and system development.