Fischell Institute Womxn History Month Spotlight: Kimia Forghani

Kimia Forghani is a third-year mechanical engineering Ph.D. student in Fischell Institute Affiliate Fellow and Department of Mechanical Engineering Assistant Professor Yancy Diaz-Mercado's Collaborative Controls and Robotics Laboratory (CCRL).

Forghani has always been passionate about medical robotics, which played a significant role in her decision to attend the University of Maryland for her doctoral degree.

"Many PIs here are affiliated with both the Fischell Institute and the Robotics Center, conducting research in medical and surgical robotics, which is my favorite area of research and creates a lot of opportunities for me," she said.

Forghani's research focuses on surgical robotics, specifically the MagnetoSuture surgical robotic system, which enables the tetherless manipulation of surgical needles using magnetic fields. This capability offers a minimally invasive alternative to large robotic tools, reducing the potential for tissue damage. Within the magnetic surgical system, Forghani works on the real-time control of surgical components; and, more recently, has been exploring learning-based approaches to automate surgical procedures on the platform.

"What excites me the most is the opportunity to push the boundaries of what this technology can achieve, discovering new possibilities and finding ways to make surgical robotics more advanced and effective," she said.

Forghani is especially proud of successfully transitioning to a new research lab two years into her Ph.D. Though different from her previous research, Forghani’s research in the CCRL aligns more closely with her undergraduate studies and her passion for robotic systems.

After dedicating the summer of 2024 to intensive learning and research, Forghani submitted her first first-author paper to the IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation 2025 just six months after joining the CCRL. With an acceptance rate below 40 percent, getting her work recognized in such a short time was a major achievement, and she is incredibly proud of that milestone.

After graduation, Forghani hopes to have a career where she gets to design, develop, and work with robotic systems every day.

Published March 13, 2025