Nga Teng Chan

I am Nga Teng Chan (Louisa), a first-year MPhil student at HKUST, advised by Prof. Qifeng Chen. I received my Bachelor’s degree from Tsinghua University in 2025, where I completed my thesis under the supervision of Prof. Tao Zhang. Currently, I am also bridging academia and industry as a Research Intern at Shanghai Jushen Technology Co., Ltd..

From Control to Cognition: My Research Journey

My long-term goal is to build intelligent robots capable of autonomously exploring unstructured and dangerous environments, such as deep space.

My journey began with a focus on the “body” of the robot. During my undergraduate studies, I built a foundation in traditional robotics, working on the mechanical design and control of drones and lunar rovers.

However, I realized that a robust body needs an intelligent mind. A core question began to drive my research: “How can we enable robots to think and act like humans?” To explore this, I pivoted my focus to Robot Learning and Embodied AI. I studied different embodiments of intelligence — from dexterous robotic hands, to bimanual manipulation systems, and ultimately to humanoid robots. Through this progression, I became deeply interested in how perception, decision-making, and control can be unified into a coherent embodied system.

Current Focus

I am currently working to bridge the gap between high-level reasoning (the “cerebrum”) and low-level motor control (the “cerebellum”). My research interests include:

• Humanoid Loco-manipulation — unifying locomotion and manipulation into coordinated whole-body intelligence.
• Continual Learning — enabling embodied agents to continuously adapt, acquire new skills, and retain prior knowledge over time.

Open for Opportunities

I am currently seeking PhD opportunities in robotics and embodied intelligence. If you are looking for prospective PhD students or see a potential research fit, please feel free to reach out.