A career spanning more than 25 years has centered on robotics, autonomous systems, and aviation, with expertise in human-robot interaction, human-autonomous system collaboration, cognitive systems engineering, human supervisory control, human-systems engineering, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), decision support systems, and the ethical and social implications of autonomous technologies. Her work includes the design and evaluation of human-autonomous interfaces, autonomous vehicle supervision, human performance modeling, human-machine collaboration, autonomous aviation systems, and technical investigations involving aircraft operations. She has also provided expert witness services in matters involving drones and unmanned systems.

Her professional experience includes serving as Professor, Director of a Robotics Program, Director of a Humans and Autonomy Laboratory, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Program Manager, Assistant F-14 Program Manager, and U.S. Navy Officer and Jet Pilot for academic institutions, government research organizations, and the U.S. military. Throughout her career, she has led research involving robotics, human-autonomous system interaction, cognitive engineering, decision support systems, and unmanned vehicle operations. Her work has included managing a major autonomous aerial cargo research program, supervising technical aircraft accident-related investigations, conducting engineering and legal investigations, overseeing automatic data processing accreditation programs involving risk assessments, contingency planning, and security evaluations, and developing technologies for human supervision of autonomous aircraft and robotic systems.

She earned a Ph.D. in Systems and Information Engineering, a Master of Science in Space Systems Engineering, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with an operations research focus. She is an AIAA Fellow and an IEEE Senior Member, and serves in leadership and advisory roles with organizations including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), NASA, the National Research Council, and the Foundation of Responsible Robotics. She has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, and conference papers on robotics, unmanned aerial systems, human-automation collaboration, decision support systems, autonomous vehicles, and human-machine interaction, and is the inventor or co-inventor on multiple patents related to autonomous systems and unmanned vehicle technologies.