Lydia E. Kavraki, Ph.D., is the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science, professor of Bioengineering, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and professor of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University. She is also director of the Ken Kennedy Institute at Rice University.

Kavraki’s research focuses on the AI and algorithmic foundations needed to connect the digital and physical worlds. Her work spans two main areas: robotics and computational biomedicine. In robotics, she develops advanced methodologies for motion planning, reasoning under uncertainty, and multi-modal frameworks to enhance human-robot interaction and collaboration. In computational biomedicine, she applies AI-driven approaches to model biomolecular interactions and support the design of novel therapeutics. A strong advocate for the responsible and ethical use of AI, she integrates these principles into both her robotics and biomedical research.

Kavraki is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, Academia Europaea, and the Academy of Athens. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Crete in Greece and her Ph.D. from Stanford University.