Greetings ROS Community!
I’m Michael Carroll (@mjcarroll most places), and I’m excited to introduce myself as the interim project lead for ROS. After a lengthy tenure, our previous lead, Chris, is stepping away to take some much deserved time off. I don’t think I can overstate how much Chris has done for the project over the last six years and grown it to the point that it is today. I’m stepping into the role of interim lead while the OSRA formalizes the roles and responsibilities of the project leadership moving forward. Once this has been completed, the ROS Project Management Committee (PMC) will have an official vote to select the new (non-interim) project lead.
I’ve been involved with ROS for a number of years, starting in 2010 using C-turtle to build our Autonomous Lawnmower at Auburn University. Back then, I realized the power and flexibility of having a common robotics framework and ecosystem to “stand on the shoulders of giants” and quickly build complex robotics applications. Since then, I’ve been involved in many parts of the ecosystem, for many years as part of the Open Robotics team and most recently as part of the team at Intrinsic.
My focus during the interim period will be to coordinate the upcoming Kilted release on World Turtle Day on May 23, 2025. At the same time, I intend to work closely with our OSRA members, the TGC, the ROS PMC, and the broader community to address any immediate needs and ensure the project’s continued success. Finally, I will work with the TGC to create a clear definition of the expectations around the project lead role to make it as accessible and sustainable as possible going forward.
At the core, our community and ecosystem is a fundamental part of what makes ROS strong. Over the years, I have grown to become close friends and colleagues with people who I originally only knew as a Github handle. For those of you who I have interacted with, I’m excited to continue working with you and for those I haven’t had a chance to meet, I’m eager to connect with y’all to learn more about your experiences and perspectives.
Now the call to action, I encourage you to actively participate. There are many opportunities to find:
- Attend our ROS PMC Meetings
- You can start as an observer, but become a committer or voting member
- Don’t have time? Catch up via our meeting minutes
- Join any of the other OSRA meetings and learn about simulation, interoperability, or the infrastructure that keeps ROS packages coming.
- Join one of our numerous community working groups and connect with people in your area of interest.
- Continue the discussions and contributions on Github, Discourse, Discord and Robotics StackExchange.
Outside of that, please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, suggestions, or concerns.
Thanks and let’s keep building!
Michael Carroll
) Next ROS medical community event is next week 
