Angeline Aguinaldo


Github: https://github.com/aaguinal
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=7-4RZdcAAAAJ
Email: [email protected]

I recently graduated with my Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, College Park. I was advised by William (Bill) Regli [bio]. My research explores category-theoretic approaches to knowledge-based task planning, plan transfer, and plan composition for AI and robotics applications.

I am also a research staff member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where I have developed software platforms for geospatial computer vision processing in support of humanitarian and disaster relief efforts [ref], as well as for testing and evaluating metagenomic classifiers [ref].

My research areas of interest include AI planning, robotics, knowledge representation, and category theory. My hobbies include musical theater and video editing.

CV

Places

2017 - now Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
2018 - 2025 University of Maryland, College Park
2022 - 2023 Topos Institute
2012 - 2017 Drexel University

Dissertation

Aguinaldo, A.. Sequential, hierarchical, and analogical plan transfer in robotics. University of Maryland, College Park, PhD dissertation, 2025.
[link], [slides]

Peer-Reviewed Papers

  1. Aguinaldo, A., Patterson, E., Fairbanks, J., Regli, W., & Ruiz, J. A Categorical Representation Language and Computational System for Knowledge-Based Planning. 2023 AAAI Fall Symposium on Unifying Representations for Robot Application Development (Best Paper), 2023. [paper], [slides]
  2. Player, R. A., Aguinaldo, A., Merritt, B. B., Maszkiewicz, L. N., Adeyemo, O. E., Forsyth, E. R., Verratti, K. J., Chee, B. W., Grady, S. L., & Bradburne, C. The META Tool Optimizes Metagenomic Analyses Across Sequencing Platforms and Classifiers. Frontiers in Bioinformatics, January, 1–14, 2021. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3899428 [paper]
  3. Aguinaldo A., Bunker J., Pollard B., Shukla A., Canedo A., Quiros G., Regli W. RoboCat: A Category Theoretic Framework for Robotic Interoperability Using Goal-Oriented Programming. IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, 2019. doi: 10.1109/TASE.2021.3094055. [paper]
  4. Winter M., Mankowski W., Wait E., De La Hoz E. C., Aguinaldo A., Cohen A. R. Separating Touching Cells Using Pixel Replicated Elliptical Shape Models. IEEE Trans Med Imaging. 2019;38(4):883-893, 2019. doi: 10.1109/TMI.2018.2874104. [paper]
  5. Caino M., Seo J., Aguinaldo A. et al. A neuronal network of mitochondrial dynamics regulates metastasis. Nat Commun 7, 13730 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13730. [paper]

Pre-prints

  1. Aguinaldo, A., Patterson, E., Regli, W. Automating Transfer of Robot Task Plans using Functorial Data Migrations. arXiv pre-print (Under Revision IEEE T-ASE 2024). [paper]
  2. Aguinaldo, A., Patterson, E., Fairbanks, J., & Ruiz, J. A Categorical Representation Language and Computational System for Knowledge-Based Planning. arXiv pre-print (submitted 2023). [paper]
  3. Aguinaldo A., Regli W. Modeling traceability, change information, and synthesis in autonomous system design using symmetric delta lenses. ICRA Compositional Robotics Workshop 2022. [paper]
  4. Aguinaldo A., Regli W. Encoding Compositionality in Classical Planning Solutions. IJCAI Workshop on Generalization in Planning 2021. [paper]
  5. Aguinaldo A., Regli W. A Graphical Model-Based Representation for Classical AI Plans using Category Theory. ICAPS 2021 Workshop on Explainable AI Planning. [paper]
  6. Aguinaldo A., Chiang P., Gain A., Patil A., Pearson K., Feizi S. Compressing GANs using Knowledge Distillation. arXiv pre-print (submitted 2019). [paper]

Talks

  1. "Analogical Plan Transfer in Robotics using Functorial Data Migrations" at AMS Joint Mathematics Meeting (JMM) 2025 [abstract], [slides]
  2. "'What's the plan?', asked my robot" at JuliaCon 2024 [abstract], [slides], [video]
  3. "A Category Theoretic Approach to Planning in a Complex World" at Microsoft Future Leaders in Robotics and AI Seminar Series in 2023 [website][slides][video]
  4. "Contextual affordances in context-aware autonomous systems" at AMS JMM 2023 Special Session on Applied Category Theory (a Mathematics Research Communities session) [website][slides]
  5. "Contextual affordances in context-aware autonomous systems" at NIST Compositional Structures for Systems Engineering and Design Workshop [website][slides]
  6. "Category theory for automated planning and program compilation in robotics" at Topos Berkeley Seminar [website][slides][video]
  7. "Applications of category theory to automated planning and program compilation in robotics" at Xerox PARC Design Seminar [slides]
  8. "Modeling traceability, change information, and synthesis in autonomous system design using symmetric delta lenses" at International Conference for Robotics and Automation (ICRA) 2022 Compositional Robotics Workshop in 2022 [website][slides]
  9. "Encoding Compositionality in Classical Planning Solutions" at International Joint Conference for Artifical Intelligence (IJCAI): Workshop on Generalization in Planning in 2021 [website][slides]
  10. "A Graphical Model-Based Representation for Classical AI Plans using Category Theory" at International Conference for Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS): Explainable AI Planning Workshop in 2021 [website][slides]
  11. "Polynomial Functors in Catlab" at the Applied Category Theory Conference in 2021 [slides]
  12. "Diary of a software engineering using categories" at Topos Institute: Berkeley Seminar [website] and Lógicos em Quarentena (LQ) Seminar [website] in 2021 [slides][video]
  13. "Category Theory for Software Modeling and Design" at Hunter College Applied Mathematics Seminar in 2020 [website][slides]

Blog posts

Community Service

Co-organizer of the Applied Category Theory Special Session at AMS JMM 2026

Reviewer for International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS)

Co-author of Relational Thinking: From Abstractions to Applications (2024) digital textbook

Open-source contributor to AlgebraicJulia

Local organizer of the Applied Category Theory (ACT) conference, 2023

Co-organizer of ICRA Compositional Robotics: Mathematics and Tools, 2023

Co-organizer of The Adjoint School, 2022, 2023

Student of The Adjoint School, 2021



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