Filip Čučkov Named as Director of the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research
The Tufts School of Engineering and Tufts Gordon Institute are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Filip Čučkov as the Director of the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research and Auster Professor of the Practice of Applied Innovation.
The Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research was created in 2023 by a generous gift of $4 million from alumnus Chuck F. Auster, A73, the Chairman of the Board of Advisors at the Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts. The Auster Center will promote innovation in solving complex societal challenges through a transdisciplinary approach that spans social sciences, natural sciences, and technology for the public good. Through its research, it will enhance our understanding of how innovation can be systematically fostered and applied to future challenges. The Auster Center will support and fund Tufts faculty, students, and staff to explore novel ways to solve big problems and achieve impact through applied innovation.
Dr. Filip Čučkov is a seasoned academic, engineer, and leader who comes to Tufts with a wealth of experience in engineering education, research, and innovation in robotics, automation, and cyber-physical systems. Throughout his career, he has driven transdisciplinary applied research projects in large and small organizations, managed engineering teams of various sizes, secured external funding, and published over 50 peer-reviewed scholarly articles. He is a senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a member of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE), and a member of the Project Management Institute (PMI), certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP).
Before joining Tufts, Dr. Čučkov was at Northeastern University's Kostas Research Institute for Homeland Security where he served as a Senior Research Engineer and Director of Expeditionary Cyber and Unmanned Autonomous Systems research programs. Dr. Čučkov has previously served as a faculty member at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Wentworth Institute of Technology, where he chaired the Computer Engineering programs, as well at as his alma mater, Old Dominion University.
“I am deeply honored and very excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join Tufts Gordon Institute faculty and staff as the inaugural Director of the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research, and to contribute my expertise and experience in research, teaching, and innovation to nurture and advance the institute's mission,” shared Filip. “As a researcher, I have always been invested in how research and emerging technologies translate theory into practice and eventually become sustainable solutions to real-world problems. I envision the Auster Center as a forum for connections between Tufts faculty, students, alumni, and industry leaders to facilitate transdisciplinary collaboration and translate innovation into global impact for the benefit of all.”
“As our first director of the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research, we look forward to Filip creating and launching transdisciplinary programming that will accelerate the translation of Tufts research to societal impact,” said Kevin Oye, Executive Director of Tufts Gordon Institute. “It will be a joy to have him on board and being a wonderful partner and collaborator to all of us at Tufts.”
For further information about the Auster Center for Applied Innovation Research, please click here.