Group Leader, Manipulation & Mobility | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Elena Messina is internationally recognized for her work in the development of performance metrics and evaluation methodologies for robotic and autonomous systems. She leads the Manipulation & Mobility Systems Group of the Intelligent Systems Division at the U. S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Her current responsibilities include managing the Measurement Science for Manufacturing Program, which is focused on advancing the capabilities of agile and autonomous collaborative robots through the definition of performance requirements, metrics, test methods, tools, and testbeds.

Messina’s awards and recognition include three Department of Commerce Bronze Medals for Superior Performance and Technical Leadership, the Edward Bennet Rosa Award for research and development leading to standardized test methods for emergency response robots, and IEEE Robotics & Automation Society Distinguished Lecturer. Prior to joining NIST, she held engineering and management positions at the Structural Dynamics Research Corporation and Cincinnati Milacron. She holds a degree in Engineering Science from the University of Cincinnati.