James P Brawley Dr

GRANT PROGRAM

GRANT PROGRAM

GRANT PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

GRANT PROGRAM

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY HBGI TITLE III PROJECT

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY HBGI TITLE III PROJECT

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT TO TRANSITION CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY TO R1 (REDI CAU TO R1)

ENHANCEMENT OF CANCER RESEARCH AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY (CAU) IS A COMPREHENSIVE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION WITH A DISTINCT BLACK-AMERICAN HERITAGE, AND FEDERALLY ACCREDITED AS A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (HBCU) BY THE US. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE CENTER FOR CANCER RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT (CCRTD) WAS ESTABLISHED AT CAU IN 1999 WITH SUPPORT FROM THE NIH/RCMI PROGRAM FOCUSED ON RESEARCH IN CANCER BIOLOGY, DRUG DISCOVERY AND SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF CANCER. IN 2004, CAU FOCUSED THE RESEARCH PROGRAM ON PROSTATE CANCER AND ITS IMPACT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. IN 2005, THE CENTER WAS DESIGNATED AS CAU’S 1ST UNIVERSITY-WIDE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE WITH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: A) DEVELOP A GROUP OF INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN SCIENTISTS THAT WILL EXECUTE HIGH-IMPACT BASIC RESEARCH IN CANCER, AND CONTRIBUTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSFUL THERAPEUTIC, COMMUNITY AND TRANSLATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR CANCER; B) TRAIN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS IN CANCER RESEARCH, AND, HENCE, DEVELOP AND PRODUCE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN- AMERICAN SCIENTISTS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER; AND C) ESTABLISH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO INCREASE AWARENESS FOR PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF CANCERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT THE AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF TARGETED RECRUITMENT OF FACULTY AND STAFF OVER THE PAST 19 YEARS, CCRTD IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE LARGEST CENTERS OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION WITH A UNIQUE AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WHOLE DEDICATED TO PROSTATE CANCER. WE’VE RECRUITED 9 EXTERNAL TENURE-TRACK FACULTY MEMBERS TO CAU WITH DIVERSE EXPERTISE IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL FACULTY WITH 3 FACULTY FROM SOCIAL WORK (2) AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (1). TO PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE ART RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CCRTD HAS DEVELOPED RESEARCH CORE LABORATORIES TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WHICH HAVE UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE RESEARCH TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. FINALLY, OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH UNIT HAS ESTABLISHED DYNAMIC EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN, THEIR FAMILIES AND CARETAKERS, AND COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE IN SOUTHWEST CITY OF ATLANTA AND BEYOND. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL SEEKS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE RESEARCH AGENDA AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AT CCRTD THROUGH (1)TRANSITIONING THE BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH TO EARLY AND BEGINNING TRANSLATIONAL OUTCOMES, EXPANDING OUR RESEARCH AGENDA IN SOCIAL/BEHAVIOR SCIENCES, RECRUITING FACULTY IN HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPING ROBUST PROJECTS IN BIOMEDICAL OR SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH OF PROSTATE CANCER ACTIVITIES FOR JUNIOR SCIENTISTS; (2)ACQUIRE NEW EQUIPMENT TO UPGRADE THE CURRENT RESEARCH CORE LABORATORIES, RENOVATE SPACE TO HOUSE NEW EQUIPMENT AND CURRENT EQUIPMENT, AND RENOVATE DATA ARCHITECTURE TO ACCOMMODATE NEW EQUIPMENT, AND DATA NEEDS; AND (3) IMPROVING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES, EQUITABLE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, AND DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CCRTD.

ENHANCEMENT OF CANCER RESEARCH AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY (CAU) IS A COMPREHENSIVE INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION WITH A DISTINCT BLACK-AMERICAN HERITAGE, AND FEDERALLY ACCREDITED AS A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY (HBCU) BY THE US. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THE CENTER FOR CANCER RESEARCH AND THERAPEUTIC DEVELOPMENT (CCRTD) WAS ESTABLISHED AT CAU IN 1999 WITH SUPPORT FROM THE NIH/RCMI PROGRAM FOCUSED ON RESEARCH IN CANCER BIOLOGY, DRUG DISCOVERY AND SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL ASPECTS OF CANCER. IN 2004, CAU FOCUSED THE RESEARCH PROGRAM ON PROSTATE CANCER AND ITS IMPACT IN THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY. IN 2005, THE CENTER WAS DESIGNATED AS CAU’S 1ST UNIVERSITY-WIDE CENTER OF EXCELLENCE WITH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: A) DEVELOP A GROUP OF INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN SCIENTISTS THAT WILL EXECUTE HIGH-IMPACT BASIC RESEARCH IN CANCER, AND CONTRIBUTE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCCESSFUL THERAPEUTIC, COMMUNITY AND TRANSLATIONAL STRATEGIES FOR CANCER; B) TRAIN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS, AND POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS IN CANCER RESEARCH, AND, HENCE, DEVELOP AND PRODUCE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN- AMERICAN SCIENTISTS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER; AND C) ESTABLISH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO INCREASE AWARENESS FOR PREVENTION, EARLY DETECTION AND TREATMENT OF CANCERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT THE AFRICAN- AMERICAN COMMUNITY. AS A CONSEQUENCE OF TARGETED RECRUITMENT OF FACULTY AND STAFF OVER THE PAST 19 YEARS, CCRTD IS CURRENTLY ONE OF THE LARGEST CENTERS OF ITS KIND IN THE NATION WITH A UNIQUE AND COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM WHOLE DEDICATED TO PROSTATE CANCER. WE’VE RECRUITED 9 EXTERNAL TENURE-TRACK FACULTY MEMBERS TO CAU WITH DIVERSE EXPERTISE IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES, AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL FACULTY WITH 3 FACULTY FROM SOCIAL WORK (2) AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (1). TO PROVIDE STATE-OF-THE ART RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE, THE CCRTD HAS DEVELOPED RESEARCH CORE LABORATORIES TO SUPPORT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES OF FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS WHICH HAVE UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. WE ARE ALSO ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE RESEARCH TRAINING AND EDUCATION OF BOTH UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS. FINALLY, OUR COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND OUTREACH UNIT HAS ESTABLISHED DYNAMIC EDUCATIONAL AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN, THEIR FAMILIES AND CARETAKERS, AND COMMUNITY-AT-LARGE IN SOUTHWEST CITY OF ATLANTA AND BEYOND. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL SEEKS TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THE RESEARCH AGENDA AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AT CCRTD THROUGH (1)TRANSITIONING THE BASIC SCIENCE RESEARCH TO EARLY AND BEGINNING TRANSLATIONAL OUTCOMES, EXPANDING OUR RESEARCH AGENDA IN SOCIAL/BEHAVIOR SCIENCES, RECRUITING FACULTY IN HEALTH DISPARITIES RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPING ROBUST PROJECTS IN BIOMEDICAL OR SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH OF PROSTATE CANCER ACTIVITIES FOR JUNIOR SCIENTISTS; (2)ACQUIRE NEW EQUIPMENT TO UPGRADE THE CURRENT RESEARCH CORE LABORATORIES, RENOVATE SPACE TO HOUSE NEW EQUIPMENT AND CURRENT EQUIPMENT, AND RENOVATE DATA ARCHITECTURE TO ACCOMMODATE NEW EQUIPMENT, AND DATA NEEDS; AND (3) IMPROVING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE OUTCOMES, EQUITABLE DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, AND DEEPEN RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND THE CCRTD.

THE HBCU CHIPS NETWORK: A PATH FOR CREATING, PREPARING, AND INCREASING RESEARCH, INNOVATION CAPACITY AND AN INCLUSIVE MICROELECTRONICS WORKFORCE -THE HBCU CHIPS NETWORK IS A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, INVOLVING HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS), GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, ACADEMIA, AND INDUSTRY, THAT WILL SERVE AS A NATIONAL RESOURCE FOR SEMICONDUCTOR RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. THROUGH A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH, THE NETWORK WILL FACILITATE RESEARCH INNOVATIONS, RESOLVE LONG-STANDING DISPARITIES IN FACILITIES, BUILD DOMESTIC CAPACITY, PROVIDE SHARED ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS NETWORK STAKEHOLDERS, AND BROADEN PARTICIPATION IN THE MICROELECTRONICS WORKFORCE. THIS PROJECT ALLOWS FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF A SUSTAINABLE, ADMINISTRATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND PROTOCOLS TO 1) SUPPORT THE MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH EFFORT AND 2) ADDRESS NATIONAL MICROELECTRONICS-RELATED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT NEEDS. THIS PROJECT IS FUNDED BY THE NSF EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON INCLUDES INITIATIVE TO ADVANCE THE GOALS OF THE CHIPS AND SCIENCE ACT OF 2022. THIS PROJECT IS ALSO FUNDED BY THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (HBCU-UP), WHICH PROVIDES AWARDS TO STRENGTHEN STEM UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AT HBCUS. THE NETWORK OBJECTIVE IS TO ADVANCE LEADERSHIP IN MICROELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY BY LEVERAGING THE COLLECTIVE RESEARCH EXPERTISE, CAPABILITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND CORE COMPETENCIES OF HBCUS. ACTIVITIES ADDRESS THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF CHIPS AT VARIOUS HBCU INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING: (1) TWO-DIMENSIONAL (2D) SEMICONDUCTOR FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS AND OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES (JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY AND NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY); (2) HIGH-EFFICIENCY THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS AND INTEGRATED DEVICES FOR THE APPLICATION OF POWER GENERATION AND SOLID-STATE COOLING (ALABAMA A&M STATE UNIVERSITY); (3) 2D-3D MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT AND THEIR INTEGRATION (DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY); (4) SEMICONDUCTOR PACKAGING USING COMPOSITE MATERIALS OF POLYMER AND BORON NITRIDE NANOTUBE COMPOSITES (NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY); (5) THE INTEGRATION OF UNDERFILL AND HEAT SPREADER MATERIALS FOR HETEROGENEOUS PACKAGING APPLICATIONS (NORTH CAROLINA A&T STATE UNIVERSITY); AND (6) THE PACKAGING OF HBCU CHIPS INTO SYSTEMS (GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY). TO CULTIVATE A DIVERSE AND SKILLED WORKFORCE FOR THE NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY, THE NETWORK SUPPORTS STUDENT RESEARCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIALIZED CURRICULA IN SEMICONDUCTOR DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND RELATED FIELDS, ALONG WITH INTERNSHIP AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY PARTNERS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

NSF INCLUDES ALLIANCE: NATIONAL DATA SCIENCE ALLIANCE (NDSA) -THE NSF INCLUDES NATIONAL DATA SCIENCE ALLIANCE (NDSA) IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BLACK PEOPLE WHO EARN DATA SCIENCE CREDENTIALS, SUCH AS UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE, AND POST-BACCALAUREATE MINORS, CERTIFICATES, AND DEGREES. ON AVERAGE, BLACKS COMPRISE ABOUT 3% OF ALL DATA SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS, DEMONSTRATING THE NEED FOR AN ALLIANCE-SCALE EFFORT TO ADDRESS THIS STEM BROADENING PARTICIPATION CHALLENGE. ALSO CENTRAL TO NDSA GOALS IS EXPANDING DATA SCIENCE RESEARCH THAT ADVOCATES FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND TRANSFORMING DATA SCIENCE DISCOVERIES INTO TANGIBLE BENEFITS THAT ADVANCE EQUITY FOR ALL. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE PERPETUATION OF HARM THROUGH BIASED DATA TECHNOLOGIES AND ALGORITHMS IS WELL DOCUMENTED. THE NDSA ESTABLISHES A NATIONAL NETWORK OF HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS) WITH INDUSTRY, GOVERNMENT, AND ACADEMIC COLLABORATIONS TO APPLY AN EQUITY-CENTERED, COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BLACK DATA SCIENCE PROFESSIONALS AND ELIMINATE HARMFUL BIASES IN DATA-DRIVEN MODELS. THE PROPOSAL INVOLVES THREE HBCUS, ORGANIZED INTO REGIONAL HUBS: CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY, FISK UNIVERSITY AND HOWARD UNIVERSITY. THE NDSA IS ENGAGING OVER 1,000 HBCU FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERS IN TARGETED EFFORTS THAT CREATE EQUITY-BASED DATA SCIENCE ECOSYSTEMS WHERE ALL STUDENTS CAN THRIVE. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PRODUCE AT LEAST 20,000 BLACK STUDENTS WITH DATA SCIENCE CREDENTIALS. THE NDSA PURSUES FOUR MUTUALLY REINFORCING GOALS: (1) EXPAND ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES THAT ENGAGE HBCU STUDENTS IN DATA SCIENCE; (2) DEVELOP RESEARCH IN DATA SCIENCE THAT REDUCES BIAS AND PROMOTES ETHICS, FAIRNESS, AND VALIDITY; (3) FOSTER THE GROWTH OF SUSTAINABLE INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY IN DATA SCIENCE AT HBCUS; AND (4) CHAMPION EVIDENCE-BASED INCLUSIVE PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES THAT BROADEN THE PARTICIPATION OF HBCUS IN DATA SCIENCE. THE NDSA LEVERAGES PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH (PAR) THROUGH FACULTY/STAFF WORKSHOPS, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT WORKGROUPS, AND RESEARCH AFFINITY COHORTS. PROJECT OUTCOMES ARE EXPECTED TO SIGNIFICANTLY DIVERSIFY THE DATA-CAPABLE WORKFORCE AND RESULT IN SOCIETAL IMPACT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE ENTIRE NATION. THIS ALLIANCE IS FUNDED BY NSF INCLUSION ACROSS THE NATION OF COMMUNITIES OF LEARNERS OF UNDERREPRESENTED DISCOVERERS IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE (NSF INCLUDES), A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE U.S. LEADERSHIP IN DISCOVERIES AND INNOVATIONS BY FOCUSING ON DIVERSITY, INCLUSION AND BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN STEM AT SCALE. THE ALLIANCE IS ALSO FUNDED BY THE HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ? UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM (HBCU-UP), WHICH PROVIDES AWARDS TO STRENGTHEN STEM UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH AT HBCUS, AND THE LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCES FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION (LSAMP) PROGRAM, WHICH ASSISTS UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES IN DIVERSIFYING THE STEM WORKFORCE. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.

CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY PART F TITLE III PROJECT

EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH: MOLECULAR AND FUNCTIONAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE TEAD AND AR TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS -THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO UNCOVER HOW DIVERSE SIGNALING MOLECULES INTERACT WITHIN THE CELL. BY EMPLOYING MODERN SCIENTIFIC METHODS, THIS PROJECT OFFERS A HANDS-ON RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND A ROBUST TRAINING PLATFORM FOR GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE RESEARCHERS, PARTICULARLY FROM AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN SCIENCE. ALSO, INTEGRATING THE DISCOVERIES FROM THIS PROJECT INTO EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN CLASSROOM SETTINGS WILL NOT ONLY ENRICH LEARNING BUT ALSO FOSTER A MORE DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE RESEARCH WORKFORCE IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE THE MECHANISM OF THE MOLECULAR AND FUNCTIONAL INTERPLAY BETWEEN THE TEA DOMAIN (TEAD) TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR AND ANDROGEN RECEPTOR (AR) IN MAMMALIAN CELLS, WHICH MAY BE CRUCIAL FOR FINDING HOW CELLS GROW, MOVE, AND SURVIVE AS WELL AS KEEP THEIR PHYSIOLOGY UNDER CONSTANTLY CHANGING EXTRACELLULAR STIMULI. THE AIMS OF THIS PROJECT ARE (A) TO INVESTIGATE HOW ANDROGENS AND CYTOKINES AFFECT THE TEAD-AR INTERACTIONS, (B) TO DEFINE THE MOLECULAR BASIS OF TEAD-AR INTERACTIONS, AND (C) TO UNCOVER HOW AR AFFECTS THE TEAD-DEPENDENT GENE EXPRESSION AND CELLULAR NETWORKS. THIS PROJECT EMPLOYS A RANGE OF ADVANCED CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR TECHNIQUES, INCLUDING CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY, HIGH-THROUGHPUT DNA/RNA SEQUENCING, AND BIOINFORMATIC DATA ANALYSIS TO ACHIEVE THE AIMS. THE EXPECTED OUTCOME OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO GAIN A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE CROSSTALK BETWEEN TEAD AND AR AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL, SHEDDING LIGHT ON FUNDAMENTAL CELLULAR PROCESSES. THIS PROJECT WILL REDUCE DISPARITIES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE NATION?S LIFE SCIENCES SECTORS THROUGH TRAINING THE HBCU UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PROTEOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE NOT PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES PROGRAM (FUTURE ACT)

CAMPUS BASED-FWS

CAMPUS BASED-FWS

PARTNER: NSF AIHUB@CAU - AN AI HUB AT CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY (CAU) -THIS PROJECT IS AN EXPANDAI PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN CLARK ATLANTA UNIVERSITY (CAU) AND THE AI INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCES IN OPTIMIZATION (AI4OPT). IN THIS PROJECT, A MINORITY-SERVING INSTITUTION (CAU, AN HBCU) LEADS A NEW COLLABORATION WITH AN AI INSTITUTE TO PURSUE SHARED, COMPLEMENTARY GOALS TO UNLOCK UNTAPPED TALENT AT CAU AND OTHER HBCUS IN AI EDUCATION AND USE-INSPIRED RESEARCH. THE COLLABORATION CREATES AN AI HUB AT CAU (AIHUB@CAU) FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AT THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS AND TO INITIATE RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH AI4OPT. AIHUB@CAU WILL LEVERAGE AI4OPT INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS AS WELL TO ACCELERATE COURSE CREATION AND GROUND EXPERIENCES IN THE PROBLEMS AND MATERIALS AVAILABLE FROM REAL WORLD APPLICATION. THROUGH A RANGE OF RESEARCH AND EDUCATION INITIATIVES, THE PROJECT WILL BUILD COMMUNITY AND NEW CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE IN AI AIMED AT EDUCATING FUTURE GENERATIONS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AI RESEARCHERS WHO WILL USE AI TO TRANSFORM SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES, ENGINEERING, BUSINESS, AND CYBERPHYSICAL SYSTEMS. THIS MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIP IN RESEARCH, EDUCATION/WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE CENTERED ON THE VISION TO ADDRESS THE DEARTH OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS PHD STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS IN AI, AND TO ACHIEVE THAT VISION BY CREATING SUSTAINABLE AI HUBS IN HBCUS, BEGINNING WITH THE FIRST AT CAU. AIHUB@CAU LEVERAGES THE EXISTING AI4OPT FACULTY TRAINING PROGRAM, THE NSF INCLUDES NDSA, A DEEP COLLABORATION BETWEEN CAU AND AI4OPT/GT, EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FROM INTEL TARGETED AT HBCUS AND MSIS, AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE PARTNERS TO BUILD THE NECESSARY CAPACITY. THE PROJECT TAKES A BROAD VIEW OF AI THAT GOES BEYOND MACHINE LEARNING, AND BRANCHES INTO DECISION MAKING AND INNOVATIVE APPLICATION AREAS WHERE AI IS POISED TO PLAY AN INCREASING ROLE. THE SELECTED APPLICATION AREAS LEVERAGE EXISTING STRENGTHS OF CAU IN BUSINESS ANALYTICS AND SUPPLY CHAINS, CYBER-PHYSICAL SECURITY, AND MATERIALS SCIENCE. A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP WITH AI4OPT INCLUDES COLLABORATIVE GROWTH OF NEEDED RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE CO-SUPERVISION OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS AT AIHUB@CAU. THE PROJECT IS PARTIALLY FUNDED BY NSF?S LOUIS STOKES ALLIANCES FOR MINORITY PARTICIPATION (LSAMP) PROGRAM WITHIN THE DIVISION OF EQUITY FOR EXCELLENCE IN STEM. THIS AWARD REFLECTS NSF'S STATUTORY MISSION AND HAS BEEN DEEMED WORTHY OF SUPPORT THROUGH EVALUATION USING THE FOUNDATION'S INTELLECTUAL MERIT AND BROADER IMPACTS REVIEW CRITERIA.- SUBAWARDS ARE PLANNED FOR THIS AWARD.