Q&A with faculty mentor Paul Grogan

Paul Grogan, an associate professor of industrial engineering in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, is completing his first year as a FURI faculty mentor after joining ASU in 2023. His research focuses on engineering decentralized and distributed systems for Earth-observing space missions, resource-intensive terrestrial infrastructure and logistics for space exploration. Grogan is particularly interested in using cross-disciplinary tools to meet his research team’s goals in the Collective Design Lab.

What made you want to get involved as a FURI faculty mentor?

I did not pursue any research experiences as an undergraduate student; it was only in graduate school that I discovered a passion for research, which has turned into a fulfilling lifelong career. I want to help others determine as early as possible if a research career is a good fit so they can help structure plans for graduate school and beyond. 

What is your favorite part about seeing your students conduct research?

My favorite part of mentoring research is when a student develops a relentless drive to solve a novel problem or answer a research question. The thrill of discovery is more satisfying than any homework assignment and can inspire substantial effort.

How have your FURI students had an effect on your research? Have they come up with any research surprises or proposed new directions for your lab?

I task FURI students with developing proofs-of-concept, often based on software or information system components, that have the potential to impact foundational components of future research projects. In my previous position, I mentored a team of students who developed a prototype satellite simulation testbed that contributed to a major research effort with NASA to evaluate new satellite observing strategies.

What have you gained from being a FUR mentor? How has the experience been rewarding for you?

I benefit from the new ideas, technical skills and unique interests of my mentees. It is rewarding to observe progress on difficult problems and realize that careers in research can provide a similar sense of creation as in entrepreneurship.

What advice would you give to students who might be interested in participating in FURI?

The best research topics follow a strong internal passion to positively impact the world; however, working on difficult problems can often reveal an unexpected sense of passion as well. Research discovers and disseminates new knowledge, which is a fundamental function of the university. Don’t be discouraged if a problem is actually (much) more challenging than it appears at first. Finally, dissemination is an essential part of research: a project is not complete until it has been documented and shared with others.

Why should other faculty members become FURI mentors?

Becoming a FURI mentor provides the opportunity to tap into the intellect and curiosity of students who are interested in taking a first step toward a career in research. Beyond the direct research contributions, mentorship provides the opportunity to have a significant impact on the career trajectory of the mentee and contribute to societal knowledge accumulation.