Human–Agent Teaming and Horse–Human Partnerships and
January 10–14, 2026 — University of Arizona & Al Marah Equine Center
Where mathematics meets motion, and partnership bridges biology and technology.
Hosted by the University of Arizona Department of Mathematics and the Al Marah Equine Center, this five-day conference bridges mathematics, biomechanics, AI and robotics, equine science, and classical dressage. The first two days explore the mathematics of coupled biological systems, equine science, and human-agent teaming. The final two days feature a hands-on clinic with classical dressage master Dominique Barbier. The middle day brings both groups together at the Al Marah Equine Center for live demonstrations, discussion, and collaborative exploration. Register here!
Note: This meeting is being held concurrently with the 2026 Dynamics Days!
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Dates for Human-Agent Teaming and Horse-Human Partnerships: January 10-11 (technical lectures on campus) and January 12-14 (hands-on at AMEC)
📊 SATURDAY, January 10 — Dynamical Systems Approach to Horse-Human Partnership and Horse Biomechanics
Location: UA campus (ENR2)
Theme: Coupled systems, dynamics, and horse–human partnership
8:00–8:30 — Registration & Coffee
8:30–8:50 — Welcome & Overview
Laura Miller + Kevin Lin
Brief on ARO workshop grant focus: horse–human partnerships as a model for human–agent teaming in the Army context (coordination, robustness, trust, and communication).
8:50-9:20 – A quick round of introductions
Morning Plenary Talks (Math/Dynamics)
9:20–10:20 — Invited Talk (Jeanne Parmentier, Inertia Technologies)
10:20–11:20 — Invited Talk (Sarah Shaffer, Southwest Research Institute)
11:20–11:30 — Coffee Break
11:30–12:10 — Invited Talk (Alex Hoover, Cleveland State University)
Midday Panels & Working Groups
12:10–1:30 — Lunch + Panel Discussion
Panel: “What Do Horses Teach Us About Coupled Biomechanical Systems?”
1:30–3:00 — Working Group Session #1 (Breakout)
Possible groups:
Modeling & Dynamics – e.g., coupled oscillators for gait/respiration/HRV
Sensing & Data – instrumenting horse–human systems (IMUs, HR, EEG, etc.)
3:00–3:30 — Break
3:30–5:00 — Working Group Report-Outs & Synthesis
Each group: 10–12 mins + 3–5 mins discussion
Capture priorities for Sunday’s AI/robotics day
Action Items on Deliverables
Group paper on the state of the field and future directions (from AI, robotics, dynamical systems, etc. perspectives)
Plans for the formation of research teams and moving group projects forward (papers, proposals)
GitHub site for data sharing and code development
Evening
6:00–8:00 — Conference + Dynamics Days Dinner with Talk by Eakta Jain, University of Florida
🤖 SUNDAY, January 11 — AI, Robotics, and Human–Agent Teams
Location: UA campus (ENR2)
Theme: From horse–human to human–agent teaming for the Army
8:30–9:00 — Coffee & Informal Check-in
9:00–9:10 — Short Recap of Saturday & Framing for Sunday
What did we learn, and what are we designing toward for the Army?
Morning Plenaries (AI & Robotics)
9:10–10:00 — Invited Talk: Courtney Haynes and Cortney Bradford (ARL)
10:00–11:00 — Invited Talk: Stefanie Tellex (Brown)
11:00–11:15 — Coffee Break
11:15–11:45 — Talk: Virginia Pasour – ARO Biomathematics Program
11:45–1:00 — Lunch + Panel: “From Horses to Human–Agent Teams.”
Afternoon: Structured Brainstorming
1:00–3:00 — Working Group Session #2 (Army-Focused Breakouts)
Theory-to-Army Use Cases – mapping these models onto human–agent teaming scenarios
Trust, Communication, and Calibration
Shared Control + Intent Inference
Safety, Robustness, and Failure Modes
3:00–3:30 — Break
3:30–4:30 — Working Group Report-Outs & Roadmapping
4:30-5:00 – Assign leads for deliverables
Evening – On your own for dinner
🐴 MONDAY, January 12 — Translating Science to Practice + Barbier (Half & Half)
Location: Al Marah Equine Center (Indoor Arena)
Theme: Working with horses
8:30–9:00 - Coffee & Welcome at AMEC
9:00–10:00 — Celest Kelly, Hands to Wholeness – Equine bodywork demo
10:00–11:00 — Laura Miller and Susan Fay(?) – Demo on gait analysis + HR/HRV
11:00–12:00 — David Chimera – Hoof Balance, Farriery, and Locomotion
12:00–1:30 — Catered Working-Lunch: Brainstorm & Wrap-Up
Topic: “Where do we go from here? Coupled Systems, Welfare, and Human–Agent Teams”
AFTERNOON — Barbier Clinic
1:30–2:00 — Dominique Barbier Lecture
2:00–4:30 — Five 30-Minute Rides with Commentary
5 × 30-min rides
Observers asked to connect what they see to themes from the morning sessions
4:30–5:00 — Informal Debrief in the Arena
Evening: Dinner on your own for dinner
🐴 TUESDAY, January 13 — Full Barbier Day, Measurements, + Dinner With the Horses
Location: Al Marah Equine Center (Indoor Arena)
9:30–10:00 — Coffee in the Arena
10:00–10:30 — Dominique Talk
10:30–12:30 — Morning Rides (4 × 30 min)
12:30–2:00 — Lunch and Siv Watkins on Body Work, speaking remotely at 1 pm
2:00–4:00 — Afternoon Rides (4 × 30 min)
4:00–4:30 — Short Reflection / Q&A with Dominique
6:00–8:00 — Dinner with the Horses at Al Marah
🐴 WEDNESDAY, January 14 — Barbier Day, Measurements & Closing
Location: Al Marah Equine Center (Indoor Arena)
9:30–10:00 — Coffee in the Arena
10:00–10:30 — Lecture by Dominique Barbier
10:30–12:30 — Morning Rides (4 × 30 min)
12:30–2:00 — Lunch
2:00–4:00 — Afternoon Rides (4 × 30 min)
4:00–4:30 — Closing & Synthesis
About.
Mathematics, robotics, and horsemanship share a deep concern with balance, timing, and communication. This conference—January 10–14, 2026—creates a new space for dialogue among mathematicians, engineers, and equine scientists. We’ll consider how horses and humans synchronize movement, physiology, and emotion—and how those principles can inform human-agent teams.
This conference is organized by Dr. Laura Miller and Dr. Kevin Lin of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Arizona and is funded by the U.S. Army Research Office. For more information, please contact Laura Miller at lauram9@arizona.edu.