Vandi Verma Age, Wiki and Bio

Vandi Verma

Quick Info

ProfessionRobotic Engineer
NationalityAmerican
Date of BirthXX/XX/1973
AgeUnknown
BirthplaceJamnagar, Gujarat, India

Bio/Wiki

Birth NameVandana Verma
Full NameDr Vandana Verma
Other Names
  • Vandi Verma Tompkin
  • Dr Vandana 'Vandi' Verma
NicknameVandi
Known ForBeing one of the few people on the planet who is qualified to drive 'Mars rovers', a remote-controlled motor vehicle designed to travel on the surface of Mars.

Physical Stats & More

Eye ColorLight Brown
Hair ColorLight Ash Brown

Educational Qualification(s)

Bachelor's DegreeElectrical Engineering from Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
Master's DegreeRobotics from Carnegie Mellon University
PhDRobotics from Carnegie Mellon University

Personal Life

ReligionHinduism
Hobbies
  • Reading
  • Writing

Relationships & More

Marital StatusMarried

Family

Father(retired air force pilot)
SpouseStephen (NASA Engineer)
Children
SonArjun
DaughterAnya

Career

Achievements
  • NASA Earth Science Team Award for Intelligent Autonomy Technology Transition Team (2008)
  • NASA Honors Award to the Mars Exploration Rover Electro-mechanical Failure Mitigation Team (2010)
  • NASA Honors Award to the Mars Science Laboratory Motor Control Team (2013)
  • NASA Honors Award to the Mars Science Laboratory Surface Sampling and Science Systems Team (2013)
  • NASA Honors Award to the Mars Science Laboratory Testbed and Simulation Support Equipment Team (2013)
  • NASA Software of the Year Award, awarded to the Mars Science Laboratory Flight Software Team (2014)
  • Mars Science Laboratory Autonomous Exploration for Gathering Increased Science Team Award (2016)
  • Mars Science Laboratory Collection and Handling for In-Situ Martian Rock Analysis Award for Tunnel Anomaly Recovery (2017)
Roles
  • Mars rover driver, operating all three rovers: MER-A Spirit, MER-B Opportunity, and Mars Science Laboratory's Curiosity since 2008
  • Co-writer of an open-source programming language, PLEXIL, used in various automation technologies
  • Joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as a robotic scientist in 2007, contributing significantly over 15 years
Media Appearances
  • Directed an episode of NOVA ScienceNOW titled 'Can We Make it to Mars?' in 2011
  • Featured in a documentary titled 'The Other Side of Mars' in 2018
  • Appeared in 'Good Night Oppy', a full-length documentary film in 2022
Recent Innovations
  • Key scientist in achieving a Mars rover's self-driving capabilities using AI in December 2025
  • Contributed to AI-planned Perseverance drives in 2026, marking a new era in rover autonomy

Social Media

Twitterhttps://x.com/spaceroboticist
LinkedInhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/vandi-verma-286678/

Some Lesser Known Facts

Grew up in various small towns across India due to her father's military career, gaining early interests in aviation from his stories.
Received books on the solar system as a birthday gift at age seven, igniting her passion for exploration.
Drove a tractor at her grandfather's farm at age seven, showcasing her early inclination towards engineering.
Won an embroidery contest in 1985, reflecting her appreciation for art in science.
Moved to the USA in 1994 for further studies after receiving a scholarship at American University, Washington.
Acquired her private pilot's license in 1998, further enhancing her engineering credentials.
Her doctoral thesis focused on robotic fault diagnosis, combining her interests in robotics and engineering.