Official Bio

Russell Knight joined us from GTE Corporation, where he worked on a variety of projects, including software systems for automatic system configuration, intelligent inventorying, request fulfillment, and restocking. Russell has significant experience in both hands-on software development and technical leadership of software design and development tasks. Russell holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, and both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is currently working on the Automated Scheduing and Planning Environment(ASPEN) planning system for mission operations, the Continuous Activity Scheduling, Planning, Execution, and Replanning (CASPER) real-time planning system, and the Mission Data System (MDS) (specifically the scheduler). Additionally, he supports research efforts in Antarctica.

His research interests are in planning and scheduling, heuristic search, operations research, and space exploration automation.

Group Links

• AI Group Home Page

Projects

• Aspen Home Page

Academic Background

• Docotor of Philosophy in Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 2005.
• Master of Science in Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 1999.
• Bachelor of Science (Magna cum Laude) in Computer Science with concentrations in English Literature, University of Maryland, Overseas Division, 1994.

Research Interests

• Combinatorial Optimization and Heuristic Search
• Planning, Scheduling, and Operations Research
• Robotics
• Machine Learning

Professional Experience

1997 - present	Member of Technical Staff, Artificial Intelligence Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.
	Mission design planning for Orbital Express Co-I on Intelligent Systems Proposal-leading polytopical solver and integrated planner/solver design. Lead Designer and Developer of the Mission Data System (MDS) scheduler-the key component of the goal oriented reasoning and commanding. Designed and fabricated an extreme weather charging system for remote GPS monitoring stations in Antarctica-delivered and installed same. Lead Developer for Generalized Timelines, a technology used in the MDS for communicating constraints on and estimations of state values. Lead Developer for CASPER (Continuous Activity Scheduling, Planning, Execution and Replanning), a soft real time execution system for automated planning and scheduling systems. Developer for ASPEN, and automated planning and scheduling system. Developed critical path communications software for the Mars Polar Lander ground operations team.
1986 - 1997	Software and Electrical Engineer, GTE Government Systems.
	Lead engineer for a parts knowledge base that guides the non-expert through the selection of configuration of computer parts and assemblies, automatically verifies the configurations, and automatically generates a substitution list of parts that are either exactly or up/downgrade equivalent to the given part or assembly. Included supervising other developers, working with other departments and traveling to management hubs in Europe and Asia Lead engineer for a division-wide Information Repository and user query adaptations. Implemented using Microsoft SQL and Andyne GQL. Lead engineer for a parts usage system that automatically generated depot instructions, purchase instructions, risk estimates, and aided proposal generation through predictive models. Participated in development and fielding of a worldwide network of portable PCs implementing a paperless office and ordering system. Lead engineer for the installation and accreditation of computer systems and network communications for the US forces SCIF in SHAPE, Belgium. Lead engineer for a set of communications hardware and software drivers implementing serial communications in a secure environment.

Professional Activities

• Invited Panelist, Robust Embedded Autonomy, AAAI 2001 Spring Symposium on Robust Autonomy, Stanford University, March 2001.
• Invited Panelist, Future Directions of Research on Integrated Planning and Scheduling, International Joint Conference Workshop on Planning with Resources, Seattle, WA, August 2001.
• Invited Panelist, State of the Technology, International Joint Conference Workshop on Workshop on Artificial Intelligence and Manufacturing: New AI Paradigms for Manufacturing, Seattle, WA, August 2001.
• Program Committee Member, Workshop on On-line Planning and Scheduling, Conference on Artificial Intelligence Planning and Scheduling, Toulouse, France, April 2002.

Major Awards

2000	NASA Group Achievement Award, Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN) Development Team, "In recognition of outstanding achievement in the design, implementation, and deployment of an advanced planning and scheduling system for spaceflight mission operations automation."
1999	Developer, Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment (ASPEN), Honorable Mention for 1999 Software of the Year Award, "ASPEN is a revolutionary Automated Planning and Scheduling System which has been used to automate Spacecraft Operations and Ground Communications Stations."
1997	Designer, DSSO's Automatically Symbolized Hardware (DASH), GTE Technological Development Award.

Other Awards

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2003	Developer/Researcher, Certificate of Recognition, For the creative development of a technical innovation which has been proposed for publication as a NASA Tech Brief Software for the Heuristic Portfolios for Automated Planning and Scheduling. Closed Loop Execution and Recovery (CLEaR). Automated Planning for Mission Design (ASPEN). Abstract Reasoning for Multiple Rover Coordination. Software for the Techsat-21 Autonomous Sciencecraft Constellation (ASC). A Constellation Planning System for the Three-Corner Sat Mission.
2002	Developer/Researcher, Certificate of Recognition, For the creative development of a technical innovation which has been proposed for publication as a NASA Tech Brief Software for Automated Planning of Spacecraft Missions. Generalized Time-Line Program for Planning and Scheduling. Continuous Planning During Execution. Software for an Autonomous Constellation of Satellites. Software for Automation of Real-time Agents.
2001	Developer/Engineer, Nova Award Modified Antarctica Mapping Mission Automated Mission Planning Development Team. For GPS in Antarctica Project.
2000	Developer/Researcher, Certificate of Recognition, For the creative development of technically significant software which has been accepted and approved for dissemination to the public by NASA Improving Search in Scheduling by Aggregation of Resource and State Constraints.. Developer/Researcher, Certificate of Recognition, For the creative development of a technical innovation which has been proposed for publication as a NASA Tech Brief Continuous Activity Scheduling Planning and Replanning (CASPER). Improving Search in Scheduling by Aggregation of Resource and State Constraints.
1999	Developer, Certificate of Recognition, For the creative development of technically significant software which has been accepted and approved for dissemination to the public by NASA Automated Planning and Scheduling Environment (ASPEN) Version 2. Integrated Planning and Execution for Autonomous Spacecraft..
1998	Developer, Nova Award In recognition to the commitment to excellence demonstrated by Russell Knight working on improvements to the ASPEN planning and scheduling system..
1992	Engineer, Instant Recognition Award For technical expertise that contributed significantly to the success of REFORGER 1992..

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Publications

Publications in Journals

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, S. Chien, B. Engelhardt, R. Sherwood, "CASPER: Space Exploration through Continuous Planning," IEEE Intelligent Systems, September/October 2001, pp. 70-75.

Publications in Books

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, S. Chien. "Board-laying Techniques Improve Local Search in Mixed Planning and Scheduling," Local Search in Planning and Scheduling, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Springer-Verlag, 2001.

S. Chien, R. Knight, G. Rabideau, "An Empirical Evaluation of the effectiveness of local search for replanning," Local Search in Planning and Scheduling, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence, Springer-Verlag, 2001.

Major Conference Publications

R. Knight, F. Fisher, T. Estlin, B. Engelhardt, and S. Chien, "Balancing Deliberation and Reaction, Planning and Execution for Space Robotic Applications," International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2001), Maui, HI, November 2001.

S. Chien, R. Sherwood, M. Burl, R. Knight, G. Rabideau, B. Engelhardt, A. Davies, R. Castano, T. Stough, J. Roden, P. Zetocha, R. Wainwright, P. Klupar, P. Cappelaere, J. Van Gaasbeck, D. Surka, M. Brito, B. Williams, M. Ingham, "A Demonstration of Robust Planning, Scheduling and Execution for the Techsat-21 Autonomous Sciencecraft Constellation," Proceedings of the 2001 European Conference on Planning (ECP2001), Toledo, Spain, September 2001.

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, S. Chien, "Computing Valid Intervals for Collections of Activities with Shared States and Resources," Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Planning and Scheduling, Breckenridge, CO, April 2000.

S. Chien, R. Knight, A. Stechert, R. Sherwood, and G. Rabideau, "Using Iterative Repair to Improve The Responsiveness of Planning and Scheduling," Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Artificial Intelligence Planning and Scheduling, Breckenridge, CO, April 2000.

Other Refereed Conference, Workshop, and Symposia Publications

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, B. Engelhardt, S. Chien, "Robust Planning with Flawed Models," AAAI 2001 Spring Symposium on Robust Autonomy," Stanford University, March 2001.

R. Knight, S. Chien, B. Keller. "Enabling Onboard Spacecraft Autonomy through Goal-based Architectures." Proceedings of the IEEE Aerospace Conference (IAC), Big Sky, MT, March 2001.

F. Fisher, B. Engelhardt, R. Knight, C. Wilklow, S. Chien, T. Estlin, "CLEaR : Closed Loop Execution and Recovery," Proceedings of the IEEE Aerospace Conference (IAC), Big Sky, MT, March 2001.

F. Fisher, R. Knight, B. Engelhardt, S. Chien, N. Alejandre, "Monitor and Control of Deep Space Communications through AI Planning," Third International Conference on Intelligent Automation and Control World Automation Congress, Maui, HI, June 2000.

F. Fisher, R. Knight, B. Engelhardt, S. Chien, N. Alejandre, "A Planning Approach to Monitor and Control for Deep Space Communications", Proceedings of the IEEE Aerospace Conference, Big Sky, MT, March 2000.

S. Chien, R. Knight, A. Stechert, R. Sherwood, G. Rabideau, "Integrated Planning and Execution for Autonomous Spacecraft", Proceedings of the IEEE Aerospace Conference, Aspen, CO, March 1999.

Other Conference, Workshop, and Symposia Publications and Presentations

R. Knight, B. Smith, "Optimal Nadir Observation Scheduling," International Workshop on Planning and Scheduling for Space, Darmstadt, Germany, 2004.

A. Donnellan, B. Luyendyk, D. Capetanopoulos, S. Jackson, R. Knight, "GPS Measurement of Tectonic Deformation and Isostatic Rebound in Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica", Eos. Trans. AGU, 82(20), Spring Meeting, 2001.

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, S. Chien, "Extending the Representational Power of Model-based Systems using Generalized Timelines," Proceedings of i-SAIRAS 2001.

S. Chien, R. Sherwood, M. Burl, R. Knight, G. Rabideau, B. Engelhardt, A. Davies, P. Zetocha, R. Wainright, P. Klupar, P. Cappelaere, D. Surka, B. Williams, R. Greeley, V. Baker, J. Doan, "The Techsat-21 Autonomous Sciencecraft Constellation Demonstration", Proceedings of i-SAIRAS 2001.

S. Chien, B. Engelhardt, R. Knight, G. Rabideau, R. Sherwood, E. Hansen, A. Ortiviz, C. Wilklow, S. Wichman , "Onboard Autonomy on the Three Corner Sat Mission," Proceedings of International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Robotics and Automation in Space, Montreal, Canada, 2001.

S. Chien, G. Rabideau, R. Knight, R. Sherwood, B. Engelhardt, D. Mutz, T. Estlin, B. Smith, F. Fisher, T. Barrett, G. Stebbins, D. Tran, "ASPEN - Automating Space Mission Operations," SpaceOps 2000, Toulouse, France.

R. Knight, S. Chien, T. Starbird, K. Gostelow, R. Keller, W. Smith, et al., "Integrating Model-based Artificial Intelligence Planning with Procedural Elaboration for Onboard Spacecraft Autonomy, " SpaceOps 2000, Toulouse, France.

R. Knight, G. Rabideau, and S. Chien, "Merging the Semantics of State Constraints for Collections of Activities." Second NASA International Workshop on Planning and Scheduling for Space, San Francisco, CA, March 16-18, 2000.

S. Chien, R. Knight, A. Stechert, R. Sherwood, and G. Rabideau, "Using Iterative Repair to Improve the Responsiveness of Planning and Scheduling," IJCAI99 Workshop on Scheduling and Planning meet Real-time Monitoring in a Dynamic and Uncertain World, Stockholm, Sweden, August 1999.

S. Chien, R. Knight, A. Stechert, R. Sherwood, and G. Rabideau, "Continuous Planning for Autonomous Spacecraft," Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing (IASTED), Honolulu, Hawaii, August 1999.

G. Rabideau, R. Knight, S. Chien, A. Fukunaga, A. Govindjee, "Iterative Repair Planning for Spacecraft Operations in the ASPEN System," International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence Robotics and Automation in Space, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, June 1999.