Portrait of Vu-Anh Le

Vu-Anh Le (Anh)

PhD Student · Embodied Learning
Department of Computer Science
University of Virginia
mcu7uh (at) virginia [dot] edu

Embodied Learning

Building tomorrow

I am a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Virginia, advised by Prof. Ferdinando Fioretto. I study embodied learning: how model architectures connect perception and action, how robots plan and control their behavior under constraints, and how they learn to reason about the physical world.

Research

1. Architecture Design

I study architectures that connect perception, world representations, and action, including World Action Models. How can these models learn the consequences of actions and support adaptive behavior through interaction?

Conceptual pencil sketch of observations and actions feeding a world model that predicts a robot's interaction with objects

2. Planning & Control

I study how robots can use learned mental models to anticipate outcomes, plan under constraints, and translate plans into feedback-driven control. How can they adapt their actions as the world changes?

Pencil sketch of a robot imagining a route around obstacles before navigating toward a goal

3. Physical Reasoning

I study how interaction can teach robots about balance, contact, and motion. How can physical reasoning help a robot learn to stand up by itself and transfer what it learns to unfamiliar situations?

Pencil sketch of a robot progressing from sitting through kneeling to standing independently

Publications

My live publication record is maintained on Google Scholar.

A Mathematical Analysis of Neural Operator Behaviors Neural Operator Theory · Taylor & Francis Group Lipschitz Bounds for Persistent Laplacian Eigenvalues under One-Simplex Insertions Spectral Topological Data Analysis · arXiv preprint · 2025 Spectral Contraction of Boundary-Weighted Filters on δ-Hyperbolic Graphs Geometric Graph Signal Processing · arXiv preprint · 2025

News

  • Sep. 2026: I recently received a UVA VentureForward grant to support my research project. The award supports the project budget from September 15, 2026, through January 15, 2027.Email confirming my UVA VentureForward grant award and project funding period
  • Aug. 2026: Starting my Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Virginia.
  • Jan. 2026: I was admitted to the Ph.D. program in Computer Science at the University of Virginia and awarded a CS Scholar Fellowship providing full funding.

Beyond Research

Outside of academia, I enjoy comics, travelling, hiking, and wandering in nature. I also admire space science and love relevant movies like Avatar, Dune, Star Trek, ....

I love being a member of Outdoors at UVA! Many hiking, biking, and kayaking sessions are hosted at no cost. If you are a UVA student and looking for fun things to do, please consider joining us :>

Futuristic spacecraft above Earth with a blue planet on the horizon Two hikers on a rocky mountain summit overlooking the valley Vu-Anh Le running in a cross-country race Panoramic sunset over a forested mountain ridge with hikers resting on the rocks River winding through a forested mountain valley viewed between trees Panoramic view from a metal footbridge across a calm river surrounded by wooded hills Hiking shoes overlooking a layered mountain valley at sunset Rocky shoreline extending into the sea beneath a cloudy sky A narrow hiking trail winding through dense green woodland Face-like rock formation in a wooded area Sunset viewed from a rocky mountain overlook Sunset over distant hills with a gathering in the foreground Hiking shoes resting above a forested mountain valley at sunset Hiker resting at a mountain overlook near sunset Rocky hiking trail through the forest Hikers descending a rocky mountain trail beneath a blue sky Vu-Anh Le and fellow hikers at a mountain overlook A group of hikers seated on a rocky mountain overlook at sunset Country road through green fields Bicycle on a coastal trail Kayaking on the Charles River with the Boston skyline ahead Open-air ferry crossing the water beneath an expansive cloudy sky Clouds and sunset light above a waterfront city skyline City skyline viewed from a rocky tree-lined overlook beneath a blue sky Childhood portrait beside a colorful flower garden Visitors in a traditional temple courtyard with wooded hills behind Blue sky and white clouds above a tree-lined parking area Washington Monument illuminated at night beneath a cloudy sky Traditional Chinatown gate during an evening city visit Community gathering on the lawn in front of the MIT Great Dome at night Circular skylight framed by the coffers of an architectural dome Underground metro platform beneath a coffered vaulted ceiling
Lê Vũ Anh Charlottesville ·