Dr. Abeje Yenehun Mersha
Professor @ Unmanned Robotic Systems at Saxion University of Applied Sciences
Short CV
Abeje Yenehun Mershais an empathetic entrepreneurial engineer and scientist in Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, with a strong passion for both applied and fundamental research, as well as education. He is Professor of SMART Mechatronics and Robotics at Saxion University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands, Fellow of the Netherlands Academy of Engineering, and recipient of the 2025 Delta Premium — the highest distinction for applied researchers in the Netherlands.
He currently leads the SMART Mechatronics and Robotics research group, the largest applied research group within Universities of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. The group develops innovative and applicable technologies in Robotics, Mechatronics, and AI, while advancing systems engineering methodologies to ensure effectiveness and scalability. His group runs over 30 regional, national, and international mission-driven projects in parallel. These projects are carried out in close collaboration with public and private partners. Its applied research approach is mainly characterized by co-makership, short research cycles, and joint roadmap-based multiyear collaboration. Through multidisciplinary teamwork, the group delivers sustainable solutions to major and urgent societal challenges, directly contributing to the UN SDGs. Knowledge sharing and education are structurally embedded in all activities, strengthening regional, national and international innovation ecosystems while ensuring higher professional education remains future-ready.
