PVAMU awarded $8 million for cutting-edge AI, big data research project

PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Oct. 30, 2024) - The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Prairie View A&M University an $8 million grant for a new research project focused on advanced data analysis and artificial intelligence. The project, titled "CREDIT+: Advancing Data Analysis for Mission-Critical Applications in the Era of Artificial Intelligence," is led by Dr. Lijun Qian, an endowed professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at PVAMU's Roy G. Perry College of Engineering.

"This project offers a great opportunity for PVAMU to enhance its research capacity in artificial intelligence and big data analytics and for our students to be well-trained and pursue careers in these exciting fields," Dr. Qian said. "The goals and objectives of the proposed project are well-aligned with our institutional mission and goals as we expand our research and education landscape."

Dr. Qian and his team, which includes faculty co-principal investigators Drs. Xishuang Dong, Xiangfang Li, Annamalai Annamalai, John Fuller, Pamela Obiomon, and Lin Li, will focus on advancing the Center of excellence in Research and Education for big military Data InTelligence (CREDIT Center), a research hub that was originally established in 2015 with a $6 million DOD grant. "The mission of the CREDIT center is to accelerate research and education in predictive analytics using artificial intelligence and Machine Learning for science and engineering to transform our ability to effectively address and solve many complex problems posed by big data and train our students to become next-generation data scientists and engineers," Dr. Qian said.

Project Focus Areas

The new funding will allow Dr. Qian and his team to take the CREDIT Center's work to the next level. Their research will focus on five key areas:

1. Large Language Model Enhanced Data Management: Developing new ways to gather, organize, debiasing and analyze data using AI tools.
2. Mission Planning: Using AI and mean-field game theory to assist in planning and decision-making for large, complex operations.
3. Efficient Edge Computing: Finding novel methods to speed up AI-enhanced data processing on edge computing devices with limited resources.
4. Explainable AI: Creating techniques to make AI more explainable and interpretable for decision-making.
5. Real-World Testing: Conducting tests to apply their findings to real-world scenarios.

Impact on Military Operations

One of the key goals of the CREDIT Center is to support military operations. By analyzing data from sources such as satellites, drones, field sensors, and warfighters, we can better understand real-time situations and make informed decisions. This could improve mission planning, increase situational awareness, and enhance safety for personnel.

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Beyond its military applications, the Center will collaborate with teams from the University of Nevada Reno and the University of Southern California and build partnerships with government agencies and businesses to continue developing AI-enabled data analysis systems. A significant part of the project will focus on educating and training students, especially those from underrepresented communities, to pursue careers in AI and data analytics. "For instance, the CREDIT center created 12 new courses in AI, machine learning, and data analytics, and it is also leading the development of a new master of science degree in data science and engineering at PVAMU," Dr. Qian said.

"With the growing importance of AI, machine learning and data analytics for everyone's life in the future, it is expected that the CREDIT center will continue to make significant contributions to the research and education in the area of AI and data science at Prairie View A&M University for years to come," Dr. Qian continued. "This new funding allows us to further improve our capabilities in those areas."

-PVAMU-