Socially Engaging roBOtics (SEBO) Lab

We design social robots that that empower people, support social connection, and enrich daily life.

PI Sarah Sebo Moves to the University of Kansas (KU)

Sarah Sebo wearing KU gear

As of summer 2026, PI Sarah Sebo has moved from UChicago to the University of Kansas (KU). From 2026-2028, the lab will be split across the UChicago and KU campuses with research activities continuing at both locations.

Prospective PhD Students: PI Sebo is eagerly looking to recruit 2-3 PhD students to enroll in the KU EECS PhD program for the upcoming recruitment cycle (applications submitted Fall 2026 to start Fall 2027). Follow the instructions here to apply.

Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students at both UChicago and KU are encouraged to get involved with the HRI research happening at both sites. Follow this link for more information about how to get involved.

Lab research
SEBO Lab summer 2026 group photo
SEBO Lab at HRI 2026 in Edinburgh Scotland
Reading aloud to a robot
Talking to a Nao humanoid robot
Adults and child engaging with a robot
Discussion in the lab
Research discussion in PI Sarah Sebo's office
Two people talking with a robot

Recent News

June 15, 2026
UChicago SEBO Lab Kicks Off Summer 2026 with 9 Full-Time Undergraduate Interns

We're excited to mark the start of our lab's summer research initiatives, which include the full-time involvement of 9 undergraduate summer interns! We're very excited to have this very talented group join our lab and work with us on HRI research this summer!

SEBO Lab summer 2026 research team
March 18, 2026
🏆 Best Paper Award at HRI 2026 for Our Work on Robot Tutors and Child Social-Emotional Learning

Our paper Fictional vs. Factual Robot Tutor Dialogue Can Shape Child Social-Emotional Learning, led by Ph.D. student Lauren Wright and conducted in collaboration with Kiljoong Kim of Chapin Hall, received the Best Paper Award for User Studies at HRI 2026. This exciting work explores how the style of a robot tutor's dialogue — fictional versus factual — can shape children's social-emotional learning outcomes. The work has been featured in UChicago News, UChicago CS News, and Forbes. Congratulations to Lauren and all the authors!

Lauren Wright with Best Paper Award at HRI 2026
News Archive

Locations

KU SEBO Lab
Nichols Hall Room 349
2335 Irving Hill Rd
Lawrence, KS 66045

UChicago SEBO Lab
John Crerar Library Room 379
5730 S Ellis Ave
Chicago, IL 60637