Frances is a research engineer with a background in mechanical engineering and robotics. She develops robotic instruments, working in mechanical and electrical design and fabrication, as well as software, to advance under-ice technology including ROV Icefin that studies the environmental changes beneath ice in Antarctica. She has completed two field seasons deploying Icefin in Antarctica, first in 2018 and again in 2023-24.

Frances graduated Cornell University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, and worked with Dr. Schmidt and Icefin at Georgia Institute of Technology while pursuing a PhD in robotics and an MS in Mechanical Engineering.