DS/AI/ML Research and Learning Cluster

Richard A. Aló PhD is FAMU Esteemed Scholar Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Dean of Science and Technology [2018-2024] and Professor of Mathematical and Computer and Information Sciences at Florida A&M University. Prior, he was Dean of Science, Engineering, and Technology at Jackson State University, holding joint appointments as Professor of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and US DOE National Nuclear Security Agency Samuel P. Massie Chair of Excellence in Cybersecurity and Executive Director for Big Data, Intelligence, Innovation, and Entrepreneur Ecosystem. His research addresses AI’s Impact on Humanity and big data science/engineering with public health and cybersecurity applications. This led to a Hewlett Foundation $5M grant for a Cyber Policy Institute that provides collaboration between the DS/AI/ML Research and Learning Cluster and the Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities.

At JSU, he implemented ten-degree programs: PhDs in Engineering, and in Data Science/Engineering [the first at an MSI], BS degrees in Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Engineering Technology, and Statistics, and MS degrees in Statistics, Data Science, and with College of Business a STEM MBA and a MS Business Intelligence; new CS/ET building construction, a $35M grantsmanship increase and a $25M Ayers Diversity Settlement for JSU Foundation.

He joined JSU from the National Science Foundation, where he led the NSF/White House’s Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Engineering and Mathematics Mentoring [PAESMEM $10M] and co-led Noyce Teacher Training [$55M] programs and was awarded the NSF Director’s Award for Collaborative Integration between Offices of Cyber Infrastructure and of International Science and Engineering and the Directorates of Computer and information Science and Engineering, Education and Human Resources and Mathematical and Physical Sciences. This teamwork provided the OSTP’S requested solicitation defining the new disciplines of ‘Computational and Data-Enabled Science and Engineering’.

He is a national leader in advancing MSI faculty and students. At JSU, he received a NASA Mentor- Protégé Award providing faculty//student development on NASA contracts- an HBCU first. He is one of the founders of: Computing Alliance for Hispanic Serving Institutions [CAHSI], Association of Departments of Computer Science at MSIs [ADMI], ACM Coalition to Diversify Computing, NSF MSI-Cyberinfrastructure Empowerment Coalition [PI], NSF MSI-Cyberinfrastructure Consortium, and a recipient of the Hispanic Engineers National Awards and Achievement Conference 2002 Outstanding Educator. He was Outreach Dir. for NSF Center for Research in Parallel Computation [Rice University] and the DHS Center of Excellence in Visual Analytics, Command, Control and Interoperability [Purdue] and Outreach member of the NSF PACI.

Before graduate school, he was a Retrofit Systems Test Engineer for the US Air Force’s Semi-Automatic Ground Environment at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratories. His MA and Ph.D. in Mathematics [with a minor in Computer Science ]are from Pennsylvania State University. He joined the Mathematics Department at Carnegie-Mellon University [promoted to Associate Professor after three years] for 11 years, followed by Lamar University as Head of Mathematics and Computer Science. In 1982, he joined the University of Houston Downtown as Professor and Chair of Computer and Mathematical Sciences and, in 1995, Director of the Center for Computational Science and Grants and Contracts, obtaining over $30 M in grants.

Jinwei Liu (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in computer engineering from Clemson University, USA, and the M.S. degree in computer science from Clemson University and the University of Science and Technology of China, China. He has worked with the University of Virginia and University of Central Florida. He is an Assistant Professor with the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Florida A&M University (FAMU), Tallahassee, FL, USA. He was recognized for outstanding achievement in academic publications. He was awarded a 2021-2022 FRAP (Faculty Research Awards Program) grant at FAMU. He was the recipient of the 2022-2023 Emerging Research in STEM Award at FAMU, and he was recognized as an excellent researcher in STEM who demonstrated confidence and potential to advance the research mission of the university. As Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI on multiple funded projects from NSF, Cyber Florida, etc., he has secured over $2.5 million in competitive research grants. His research interests include cloud computing and storage, AI/ML, cybersecurity, healthcare, network science, big data, etc. He has published numerous conference papers and journal articles, and his work appears in top-tier journals/conferences, including IEEE/ACM TON, IEEE TMC, IEEE TPDS, NPJ Digital Medicine, IEEE TC, IEEE TSC, IEEE INFOCOM, etc. Dr. Liu's research has garnered significant recognition, and his work has been acknowledged by top-tier journals and conferences such as Nature Medicine, Cell, Nature Photonics, Nature Biotechnology, JAMA Pediatrics, The Lancet Digital Health, Military Medical Research, Hepatology, NPJ Digital Medicine, Genome Medicine, Biotechnology Advances, The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, IEEE JSAC, IEEE TKDE, IEEE TIFS, IEEE TDSC, IEEE/ACM TON, IEEE TMC, IEEE S&P, ACM EuroSys, USENIX ATC, PVLDB, ACM CHI, etc., and cited by researchers at elite universities globally, including Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, University of Cambridge, Imperial College London, CMU, UChicago, University of Melbourne, Technical University of Munich, etc. He was the Program (Co-)Chair of a number of international conferences and a member of the Program Committees of many international conferences (e.g., IEEE/ACM CCGRID, IEEE ICC, IEEE ICCCN, etc.). He served as Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor for several journals. He has served as a reviewer for many journals and conferences (e.g., IEEE TMC, IEEE TPDS, IEEE TKDE, IEEE TSC, IEEE TVT, ACM CSUR, JPDC, ACM TWEB, etc.). He has received a Best Paper Award, NSF student travel awards, and Outstanding Conference Service Award, etc. He is a member of the ACM.

As an educator and mentor, Dr. Liu strives to cultivate innovation, critical thinking, and inclusion. He designs and teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in computer security, applied security, (advanced) database management systems, operating systems, etc.—integrating research-led teaching and experiential learning. Over the past 10 years, he has successfully mentored over 35 students (ranging from undergraduates to doctorate candidates), fostering academic success, industry placements, and scholarly contributions.

Dr. Nelly N. Mateeva is a Professor of Chemistry at Florida A&M University with more than two decades of academic and research experience in analytical, instrumental, and general chemistry. She earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Sofia State University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Bulgaria, where she also completed her M.S. in Chemistry.

Since joining FAMU in 2005, Dr. Mateeva has taught a wide range of undergraduate and graduate courses, including Quantitative Analysis, Instrumental Analysis, General Chemistry, Chemical Separations Methods, and Chemical Spectroscopy. A dedicated mentor, she has advised 13 master’s students and over 50 undergraduates on research projects spanning materials science, drug discovery, environmental analysis, and sensor development.

Her research interests integrate traditional analytical chemistry with innovative applications, including electrospun polymeric nanomaterials, spectroscopy for art and archaeology, drug design, and AI- and machine learning–driven curriculum development. She has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals, contributed to scientific books, and co-authored the 11th edition of Reagent Chemicals (ACS Publications/Oxford University Press). Her scholarly contributions also include a U.S. patent on chalcones and flavonoids for potential treatment of cancer and HIV.

Dr. Mateeva has presented her work at over 70 national and international conferences and has delivered invited talks at institutions in the U.S. and abroad. She has cultivated research collaborations with universities and research centers in Germany, Canada, Bulgaria, and across the U.S., including projects with Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, University of Guelph, University of Minnesota, Texas A&M University, University of South Florida, and the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.

An active leader in the American Chemical Society (ACS), Dr. Mateeva has served on the Committee on Analytical Reagents, the Analytical Exam Committee, and held leadership positions in the Florida Section of ACS. She has also contributed as a reviewer for the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program and participated in numerous university committees focused on curriculum development, tenure and promotion, safety, and assessment.

Fluent in English, Bulgarian, Russian, and German, Dr. Mateeva combines her international perspective, deep subject expertise, and passion for education to inspire future chemists while advancing cross-disciplinary research at the interface of chemistry, materials science, and technology.

Dr. Yohn Jairo Parra Bautista is an Assistant Professor of Data Science & Computing in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Florida A&M University (FAMU). Earning his PhD in Computational and Data-Enabled Science & Engineering from Jackson State University, Dr. Parra Bautista is among the early cohort of scholars to receive this degree from an HBCU.

He specializes in the intersection of machine learning, natural language processing, and text mining, and explores applications in healthcare, ethics, AI in society, and behavior data. His recent projects include work on generative AI and large language models, ethical frameworks for AI, and health disparities.

In his teaching, Dr. Parra Bautista develops and delivers courses in Python, Data Mining, Ethics, Databases, C++, and other programming and data science-oriented subjects. He is also involved in curriculum design, helping establish both undergraduate and graduate programs in data science at FAMU.

Dr. Parra Bautista is committed to expanding access to computing and data science for underrepresented groups. He works across HBCUs, leads REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) programs, and collaborates internationally, including organizing summer abroad courses. He has served as a Microsoft Visiting Data Science Educator, gaining perspective from industry on topics such as Responsible AI and differential privacy.

His scholarly output includes a growing number of publications in AI, healthcare, NLP, ethics, and behavior data, contributing to both the academic literature and real-world problem solving.

Carlos Andres Theran-Suarez is an Assistant Professor in the Computer and Information Sciences Department at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University and a member of FAMU’s Data Science & Engineering group. His research centers on designing and deploying machine learning and deep learning pipelines to address societal problems across heterogeneous data—ranging from satellite imagery to healthcare datasets—and on building cloud analytics stacks using Hadoop, Hive, and Spark for large-scale processing. In education, Dr. Theran-Suarez collaborate and leads curriculum development in Data Science and AI, creating active-learning materials for REU programs and core CS courses. He integrates AI activities and content across Object-Oriented Programming, Programming Languages, and Design and Analysis of Algorithms, including supervised and deep-learning workflows, model evaluation and explainability, algorithmic bias and ethics, and GenAI-assisted software development (prompt engineering, code review, and test generation). His courses are project-based and reproducible, emphasizing real-world datasets, data-centric practices, and MLOps fundamentals while mentoring diverse student teams to deliver deployable, impact-driven solutions.

I am Dr. Erdell Maurice, an instructor at Florida A&M University with a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education (Curriculum & Instruction emphasis). I also hold a Master’s in Financial Mathematics, dual Bachelor’s degrees in Mathematics and Actuarial Science, and a minor in Business. Since childhood in my home country of Saint Lucia, I have excelled in mathematics and sought to help others understand it. A pivotal moment came when I explained a concept to my classmates that the teacher struggled to convey—sparking my lifelong commitment to learning, teaching, and problem-solving.

During college, I pursued a double major in Mathematics and Actuarial Science. My actuarial science studies, paired with a business minor, deepened my knowledge of statistics, real-world applications, communication, and adaptability. My mathematics training honed my skills in analyzing and modeling complex situations and sparked my passion for programming. I have written programs in C++, Objective-C, VBA, SQL, and Python, with the ability to visualize solutions before coding. I adapt quickly to new languages and technologies, driven by a constant pursuit of self-improvement.

My Master’s in Financial Mathematics equipped me to work with advanced models, lead teams, and address sophisticated financial and statistical problems. After transitioning to education, I completed my doctoral research in 2021, further developing my expertise in communication, research, and model design for complex educational challenges.

I am passionate about data science, where my strengths in modeling, forecasting, and communication converge. Currently, I am completing a postgraduate program in AI and Machine Learning, focusing on supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, computer vision, and natural language processing. I bring humility, leadership, and a collaborative spirit to my work.

My current projects leverage data science to enhance student success. This includes predictive modeling for academic performance, data-driven recruitment strategies for mathematics programs, faculty training on data science tools, and integrating data science applications into the curriculum. I strive to combine my technical expertise, teaching experience, and innovative mindset to create impactful educational outcomes.

Kyle Eidahl is a professor of history at Florida A&M University. His research area includes 18th-century European history with a focus on the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. He has served in many positions at FAMU, including departmental chair, University Curriculum Committee Chair, and faculty representative on the President’s Leadership Team. Dr. Eidahl’s interest in computer technology goes back to high school, when the state of Minnesota purchased Apple II computers for the classroom. He began pursuing a degree in computer science before switching to history as a profession, but has continued to utilize technology in his research and teaching. Dr. Eidahl has created numerous databases for his work, including one that contains over thirty thousand 18th-century caricatures. He was a co-author of the FAMU Hewlett Cyber Policy grant and is currently studying the issues of how to incorporate new emerging technologies into the classroom, as well as how to embed them throughout the curriculum.

Dr. Bereket Mochona is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), where ahis research combines bio-organic and medicinal chemistry with computational techniques for drug discovery. His work focuses on identifying and developing small molecules as therapeutic leads for significant medical needs. Dr. Mochona's research uses an integrated approach to advance drug discovery: He employs Computer-Aided Drug Discovery (CADD) techniques, facilitated by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), to streamline the identification of promising new therapeutic compounds. In addition, his work involves the synthesis and evaluation of new 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives for potential anticancer activity. Dr. Mochona is actively involved in several collaborative, National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded programs aimed at cancer research and education. He serves as the FAMU Education & Research Core (REC) Leader for the Florida-California Cancer Research, Education & Engagement (CaRE2) program. Dr. Mochona is a mentor for undergraduate and graduate students in various fields: Bio-organic and medicinal chemistry, Computational chemistry, and Pharmacology. Currently, his research students are involved in AI/ML facilitated In Silico identification of dual acting Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for angiogenesis dependent types of cancers.

Dr. Hongmei Chi is the Google Endowed Professor in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences at Florida A&M University. From 2016 to 2021, she directed the FAMU Center for Cybersecurity. With extensive research funding in machine learning, cybersecurity, digital forensics, and data science, Dr. Chi teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, including network security, cryptography, AI, and deep learning. Her research interests include HPC, mobile health security, and applying large language models in digital forensics and cybersecurity. She has published extensively in leading journals and conferences and has served as PI or Co-PI on over $4 million in federal grants. Dr. Chi collaborates with numerous STEM faculty at FAMU and beyond and is beginning to explore quantum machine learning.

Dr. Clement G. Yedjou, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Biology and Data Science at Florida A&M University with over two decades of academic, research, and leadership experience. A nationally recognized scientist ranked #1 at FAMU in Biomedical Engineering and cited over 16,800 times, Dr. Yedjou’s research integrates artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and biomedical science to address health disparities, environmental toxicology, and cancer outcomes. As Principal Investigator (PI) and Co-PI on numerous federally funded projects from NIH, NSF, USDA, and the Hewlett Foundation, he has secured over $10 million in competitive research and training grants, including the NSF RCN-UBE AI/ML Biology Integration project and NIH AIM-AHEAD initiatives.
Dr. Yedjou has mentored over 245 undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral trainees—many from underrepresented backgrounds—guiding them to peer-reviewed publications, data science certifications, and research fellowships. He also mentors junior faculty through NIH AIM-AHEAD and Bridge2AI Clinical Care programs, fostering leadership in AI/ML applications for health equity. His accomplishments in program development include designing an online master’s degree in Science Education (Biology Concentration) and recently creating STEM undergraduate FAMU’s Mini Bachelor Certificate in Data Science through funding support from the NSF, advancing inclusive STEM education.
With over 100 peer-reviewed publications, multiple editorial roles in high-impact journals, and recognition as a top scientist by AD Scientific Index and World Scientist Ranking, Dr. Yedjou exemplifies excellence in interdisciplinary research, mentorship, and educational innovation aimed at transforming biomedical and data-driven health research.

Dr. Bishnu Regmi is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Florida A&M University (FAMU). He obtained his MS in Biochemistry from Utah State University and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Louisiana State University. Before joining FAMU, Dr. Regmi worked at Tufts University, Virginia Tech, Dartmouth College, and West Virginia Wesleyan College. He has extensive experience with a wide array of analytical techniques, including gas chromatography, fluorescence spectroscopy, fiber optic sensor arrays, FTIR, and multivariate data analysis. As a passionate educator, Dr. Regmi emphasizes active student engagement in the classroom and laboratory. His teaching methods emphasize hands-on learning, critical thinking, and the application of fundamental chemical principles in real-world contexts. He has received several honors for his excellence in teaching, including the Teaching Innovation Award (2022), Digital Learning Initiative’s Most Valuable Professor (2021), and a finalist for the FAMU Teacher of the Year Award (2022). His scholarly contributions have also been acknowledged by the RSC Advances of the Royal Society of Chemistry with an Outstanding Reviewer Award (2021). He is also a recipient of the LSU College of Science Distinguished Dissertation Award (2015). Dr. Regmi serves as an Academic Editor for the International Journal of Analytical Chemistry and is an active peer reviewer for several international journals. His research is focused on the design, synthesis, characterization, and applications of low-melting-point organic salts. Dr. Regmi’s current research projects include:

1. Developing highly sensitive, rapid, and selective methods for detecting ionic surfactants in diverse real-world samples, including wastewater, surface water, groundwater, industrial effluents, soil, and sludge.

2. Creating new organic salts with altered spectral properties driven by dye aggregation, controlled through different counterions, with applications focusing on sensing and biomedical fields.

Dr. Samia Meseha

Beni Dangi is currently an associate professor at the Department of Chemistry, Florida A&M University. Dr. Dangi joined Florida A&M University as an assistant professor in 2016 and earned tenure and promotion in 2022. He earned a Ph. D. in Chemistry from University of Nevada, Reno and completed a postdoctoral training from University of Hawaii. He primarily teaches general and physical chemistry courses at undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Dangi’s research activities are generally in laboratory astrochemistry, including applications of ML/AI techniques in advanced image analyses. He has trained two postdoctoral, two graduate and several undergraduate students. He has published 53 peer reviewed articles including some high impact journals, such as Proc. Nat. Acad. USA, Nat. Commun. and Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. He has obtained about $2 million USD research funding from NASA and National Science Foundation as a PI, and collaborated with many groups across the world.

Dr. Dangi is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) for last 15 years and served the local ACS chapter as a counselor for last 5 years. He served local and national science and engineering communities by involving as organizer, science fair demonstrator, participant and judge. Examples include Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (IISEF), and organizer of physical chemistry symposium at ACS Florida annual meeting. Served as reviewer and panelist for NASA OSTEM fellowship, Department of Energy grant applications, and reviewer for ACS journals. Recently, he completed a Fulbright specialist program of the US Department of State.

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