ABB’s Senior Robotics Scientist Dr. Pang Zhibo Joins Peking University
Beijing, October 2025 – Dr. Pang Zhibo, a globally recognized robotics and industrial chip expert formerly serving as Senior Principal Scientist at ABB Group, has officially joined Peking University’s School of Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics as a tenured professor. His appointment marks an important milestone in strengthening China’s academic and industrial research ecosystem for intelligent robotics and automation.
A Global Leader in Industrial Automation and Research Strategy
ABB Group, one of the world’s largest industrial engineering and automation companies, benefited greatly from Dr. Pang’s leadership. During his tenure, he played a key role in shaping ABB’s global distributed R&D strategy, overseeing more than 800 researchers and 80 major technology products across multiple business domains. His contributions spanned robotics, electrification, intelligent manufacturing, and automation technologies, helping ABB maintain its position at the forefront of industrial innovation.
Research Focus: Intelligent Robots and Autonomous Systems
According to Peking University’s official statement, Dr. Pang’s research focuses on intelligent robotics and autonomous systems, integrating theory and application across multiple disciplines. His core areas of expertise include:
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Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs)
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Multimodal embodied intelligence models
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Cloud-based high-performance robotic controllers
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Cyber-physical system security
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Integrated network-computation-control architectures
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High-dynamic dexterous robotic hardware design
These advanced technologies have been widely applied across ABB’s key business segments, covering robotics, industrial drives, smart buildings, and digital automation.
Academic and Professional Journey
Dr. Pang holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Zhejiang University (2002). After graduation, he joined Hangzhou NationalChip Microelectronics, where he led an 80-member R&D team in large-scale System-on-Chip (SoC) design — one of the few teams in China at the time capable of independently developing full-scale SoC solutions.
He later pursued international education and research, obtaining an MBA in Innovation and Growth from the University of Turku, Finland (2012), followed by a Ph.D. in Electronics and Computer Systems from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden (2013).
After completing his doctorate, Dr. Pang joined ABB’s R&D center in Västerås, Sweden, where he advanced from research scientist to Senior Principal Scientist, a position directly under the company’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Bazmi Husain, in 2019.
Since 2021, he has also held professorships at leading European universities, focusing on embodied intelligence, cloud-edge automation, and 6G secure communication technologies.
Advancing China’s Intelligent Manufacturing Vision
Dr. Pang’s return aligns closely with China’s national innovation-driven development strategy, which identifies intelligent robotics as a disruptive technology leading industrial transformation. His global experience in AI robotics, cloud-based automation, and cyber-physical systems is expected to inject new momentum into China’s pursuit of smart, green, and autonomous manufacturing.
A Bridge Between Global Expertise and National Innovation
By joining Peking University, Dr. Pang aims to foster cross-border academic collaboration, advance next-generation robotic intelligence, and nurture world-class talent in autonomous systems. His appointment underscores China’s commitment to strengthening the integration of academia and industry — accelerating breakthroughs that could define the future of intelligent automation worldwide.