# CAREER: Characterizing the Safety Landscape: Data-Driven Safety Modeling for Autonomous System Navigation and Control in Human Environments

> **NSF 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · University of Washington (WA) · $652,065

## Abstract

This Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant funds research, education, and outreach initiatives that will enable autonomous systems, such as robots and self-driving vehicles, to navigate safely around humans. As these technologies become integral to transportation, warehouse logistics, and healthcare, ensuring human safety is paramount. The complexity of real-world environments, however, are shaped by complex and uncertain factors such as social behaviors and contextual cues, which presents significant challenges in assessing and guaranteeing safety. The research activities funded by this award will intend to develop interpretable, data-driven safety models that are crucial for explaining safety incidents and related human perceptions in environments where autonomous systems operate. These models are intended to enhance predictability, improve operational efficiency, and minimize safety risks, thereby optimizing human-system interactions. Educational and outreach efforts funded by this award include collaboration with Harborview Medical Center to deploy safety algorithms in hospital environments, improving patient care. Additional, educational curricula will be enriched with practical safety experiences to enhance pre-engineering math courses at Shoreline Community College. These initiatives will prepare future innovators and regulators to develop and manage trusted autonomous systems.

Determining the safety of given scenarios, or the “safety landscape,” i

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2440861
- **Awardee organization:** University of Washington (WA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** HD1WMN6945W6
- **PI:** Karen Leung
- **Primary program:** 01002526DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** CONTROL SYSTEMS, Dynamical systems, Artificial Intelligence (AI), CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, Complex Systems, WOMEN, MINORITY, DISABLED, NEC
- **Estimated total:** $652,065
- **Funds obligated:** $652,065
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 06/15/2025 → 05/31/2030

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2440861

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2440861, CAREER: Characterizing the Safety Landscape: Data-Driven Safety Modeling for Autonomous System Navigation and Control in Human Environments. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2440861. Licensed CC0.

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