Stephen Kobourov

University of Arizona, Johns Hopkins University

Papers

Total Citations

157

H-Index

About

Stephen Kobourov is a leading researcher in graph theory, computational geometry, and robotics, with a particular focus on the algorithmic challenges of autonomous exploration and tracking. His seminal work on constrained graph exploration, published in a 2006 paper that has garnered 72 citations, addresses the fundamental problem of how a robot can systematically map an unknown environment when tethered or operating with a limited fuel capacity. This research, which builds on his earlier 2001 and 1998 contributions, established optimal strategies for piecemeal exploration, demonstrating how robots can efficiently learn graph structures while respecting critical resource constraints. Beyond exploration, Kobourov has made significant contributions to pursuit-evasion problems, developing an O(n log^(1+ε) n)-time algorithm for optimal robot motion that maintains line-of-sight with a moving target inside complex polygonal environments (19 citations). His work also bridges theory and application through the study of planar Laman graphs, which characterize minimally rigid structures essential for robotics, molecular chemistry, and polymer physics. By introducing new combinatorial structures for these graphs, Kobourov has provided foundational tools for understanding rigidity in both natural and engineered systems.