Jean-Claude Latombe : An Oral History
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- Jean-Claude Latombe, Kumagai Professor Emeritus in Stanford’s School of Engineering, reflects on his research and teaching career at Stanford. Latombe describes his upbringing and education in France; how his research interests in artificial intelligence led him to meet SRI International’s Nils Nilsson; and how that connection later brought him to Stanford’s Department of Computer Science in the late 1980s. He recounts the research on robot motion planning that took place under his leadership at the Stanford Robotics Lab and reflects on his time as the chair of the Computer Science Department. Other topics of discussion include industry in France; Stanford’s relationship with start-ups and other companies; and Latombe’s love of photography, walking, and mountaineering.
- Summary
- [00:00:00 – 00:30:46] Growing up near Avignon, France • Parents’ expectations and Latombe’s early education • Engineering education at Grenoble • Starting his PhD looking at artificial intelligence and connecting with Nils Nilsson at SRI International • Work at Grenoble in AI and robotics • Leaving industry in France for academia in the United States • Stanford’s Department of Computer Science in the late 1980s • Collegiality of Stanford’s Department of Computer Science • Stanford Robotics Lab (SRL) • Challenges in teaching • Working with graduate students [00:30:47 – 01:02:23] SRL’s mobile robot • Camaraderie in the lab and amongst PhD students • Thoughts on engineering education in the twenty-first century • Ethics in engineering • Changes in Stanford’s Computer Science Department • Interest in robot motion planning and growth of research scope • Research process and contributions of research group • Probabilistic roadmaps • Research collaborations with Rajeev Motwani, Amit Singh, and others • Randomness as a technique [01:02:24 – 01:29:55] Successes of students • Becoming chair of Computer Science • Balancing chair responsibilities with research • Removing the divisions of Computer Science • Working with other departments in the School of Engineering • Support from department manager, Peche Turner • Interdisciplinary work at Stanford • Establishment of Bio-X • Institute for Computational and Mathematical Engineering • Working with School of Engineering deans John Hennessy and Jim Plummer • Reflections on conflict of interest policies [01:29:56 – 01:57:40] Startups in France • Relationship between Stanford and industry • Sabbaticals and work with France Telecom and Elf • Sabbaticals in Singapore • Latombe’s photographs of Singapore in the 1970s • Funding sources for research • Working for a French Navy lab as military service • Thoughts on what makes Stanford unique and the importance of humanities [01:57:41 – 02:28:43] Demands on new faculty to be excellent in all areas • Writing photo books about travels and mountaineering • Travelling by foot and the relationship between trekking and research • Wife Claudine and children • Retirement • Legacy at Stanford: his students and their approach to the world
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Extent | 1 text file |
| Place | Stanford (Calif.) |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
| Date created | February 17, 2021 - |
| Language | English |
| Digital origin | born digital |
Creators/Contributors
| Interviewee | Latombe, Jean-Claude | |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | Latombe, Jean-Claude | |
| Interviewer | DiPaolo, Andy | |
| Publisher | Stanford Historical Society |
Subjects
| Subject | Latombe, Jean-Claude |
|---|---|
| Subject | Stanford University. School of Engineering |
| Subject | Stanford University. Computer Science Department |
| Subject | Artificial intelligence |
| Subject | Stanford Robotics Lab |
| Genre | Interview |
Bibliographic information
| Biographical Profile | Jean-Claude Latombe is the Kumagai Professor Emeritus of the Stanford School of Engineering’s Computer Science Department. Originally from France, he has been associated with Stanford since 1987 as a faculty member, researcher, and administrator. He directed the Stanford Robotics Laboratory from 1987 to 1996 and was chair of the Computer Science Department from 1997 to 2001. Professor Latombe’s research is on robot motion planning, and he has authored or coauthored numerous publications including the classic textbook Robot Motion Planning regarded as one of the most important books in the field. He has received many honors and extensive recognition for his research and leadership including the 2021 IEEE Robotics and Automation Technical Field Award “for foundational contributions to robot motion planning and visionary leadership in the field.” |
|---|---|
| Audio/Video |
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| Finding Aid | |
| Location | https://purl.stanford.edu/mx626kq4984 |
| Location | SC0932 |
| Repository | Stanford University. Libraries. Department of Special Collections and University Archives |
Access conditions
- Use and reproduction
- The materials are open for research use and may be used freely for non-commercial purposes with an attribution. For commercial permission requests, please contact the Stanford University Archives (universityarchives@stanford.edu).
- Copyright
- Copyright © The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University. All rights reserved.
Collection
Stanford Historical Society Oral History Program interviews, 1999-2022
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