Faculty members received training as part of the RCN-UBE: HBCU Faculty Collaborative Network for Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into Teaching General Biology are top row: L to R: Dr. Jinwei Liu (FAMU), Dr. Babu Patlolla (Alcorn), Dr. Felicite Noubissi (JSU); middle row: Dr. Clement G. Yedjou (FAMU), Dr. Elena Kostyleva (Alcorn), Dr. Debarshi Roy (Alcorn), and Dr. Clauditte Tchakoua (JSU); bottom row: Dr. Wanenne Dorsey (GSU) and Dr. Jameka Grigsby (Alcorn).
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is surging, piquing the interest of industry leaders worldwide on how they can use the technology to enhance their day-to-day operations.
The same goes for Alcorn State University and other HBCUs, as the university is partnering with Florida A&M University, Grambling State University, and Jackson State University on a $500,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant titled, “RCN-UBE: HBCU Faculty Collaborative Network for Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (ML) into Teaching General Biology.”
The initiative’s goal is to prepare biology students for careers in data fields such as biotechnology and biodata science by teaching them AI and machine learning skills, using technology led instruction in biology courses and advancing AI and machine learning-based teaching and research.
Dr. Jameka Grigsby, co-principal investigator and associate professor in Alcorn’s Department of Biological Sciences, said faculty members from all partner institutions have undergone training in AI and ML technologies since the grant was awarded.
“More than 700 students are expected to benefit from the curriculum,” Grigsby said.
Grigsby and her colleagues’ lessons have been successful, students from Alcorn showcased their knowledge of AI and ML during a research symposium last year.
“By integrating these technologies into our biology curriculum, we are preparing our students in this technology-driven era,” Grigsby said.
Drs. Elena Kostyleva and Debarshi Roy assisted in securing the grant.
“Receiving this grant and training helps us transform how we teach and how students learn biology here at Alcorn State University,” Kostyleva said.
“The NSF funding is playing a role in integrating these tools into the general biology curriculum,” Roy said. “It empowers students to analyze biological data and prepare for the field’s data-centric future.”
Grigsby said the collaboration among the partner institutions has been important in sharing knowledge and building networks among faculty.
“When I hosted the planning meeting here at Alcorn last year, many of them were visiting Alcorn for the first time,” Grigsby said.
