David Saldaña is an associate professor and roboticist with 12 years of experience bridging academic research and software development in AI and robotics. He holds a Ph.D. from UFMG and progressed from software developer roles in Colombia to postdoctoral research at the University of Pennsylvania before joining Lehigh University’s faculty. His work combines hands-on systems building with theoretical AI, mentoring students while publishing and translating robotics research into practical platforms. Known for blending engineering rigor with creative experimentation, he often moves between lab prototypes and production-ready code. Based in Bethlehem, PA, he brings an international perspective shaped by training and early career work in Colombia and Brazil. Colleagues describe him as a pragmatic researcher who values reproducible, open approaches to complex robotic systems.
12 years of coding experience
11 years of employment as a software developer
Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Ph.D. in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais / UFMG
Master in Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics, Master in Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics at Universidad Nacional de Colombia
The main firmware for the Crazyflie Nano Quadcopter.
Contributions:1 PR, 4 pushes, 1 branch in 2 years 8 months
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