Hi, I'm Parsa — a Ph.D. researcher working at the intersection of mechanics, optics, and robotics — currently at GuptaLab, where I build laser-driven systems that push materials to extremes most test rigs can't reach.
Previously, I completed my M.S. in Controls and Mechatronics at UC San Diego and my B.S. in Robotics and Controls from Sharif University of Technology, where I was named the department's best undergraduate researcher.
Outside the lab you'll find me on a volleyball court, at a CrossFit box, or in the pool. I played on university teams at both Sharif and UCSD, and I genuinely believe physical discipline and engineering creativity feed each other.
At GuptaLab, I design laser-driven platforms generating impact velocities up to 4 km/s and ~10⁸ s⁻¹ strain rates, bridging mechanics, optics, and instrumentation to validate ultra-high strain-rate material behavior far beyond conventional testing regimes.
From tuning PID gains with genetic algorithms to planning time-optimal trajectories for a KUKA YouBot, I work across the full robotics stack — kinematics, motion planning, nonlinear control, and system identification. Currently collaborating with RoMeLa on designing and developing a welding robot for autonomous operation in hazardous ship environments.
Comfortable moving between a CAD sketch and a Python control loop. My toolkit spans SolidWorks, ANSYS, MATLAB, Simulink, CoppeliaSim, and Unity — whatever the problem demands.
Built real-time deep learning models for sign language gesture recognition integrated into VR using Unity. AI-driven educational game achieved 195% improvement in learning outcomes — published at IEEE ICRoM 2022.
TA for 1000+ students across Statics & Strength of Materials, Dynamics, Technology Management & Economics for Engineers, Introduction to Finance and Marketing for Engineers (UCLA), and Applied Electronics and Industrial Design & Drawing (Sharif University of Technology).