Biography

I have 35+ years of experience in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), with an emphasis on machine learning (ML), robotics/control, and multi-agent systems. After completing my Bachelor of Science at Iowa State University in 1988, majoring in Computer Science with undergraduate minors in Philosophy and Mathematics, I entered the University of Minnesota to study AI and graduated in 1998 with a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Computer Science and Engineering with a graduate minor in Cognitive Science. I have over 125 refereed publications on AI, primarily in the development and/or improvement of ML algorithms, their combinations, and/or their applications to various domains including, recently, diseases and healthcare. Over the past 23 years, since joining the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma and becoming eligible to serve as a PI or Co-PI on funded research, I have helped to bring in over $21M of funded research to work on AI, much of it interdisciplinary, and have served in several administrative positions, including currently serving as the Director of the School of Computer Science, overseeing our strategic growth, particularly in the areas of AI/ML and Data Science & Analytics, applications to aerospace/defense, human health, and the environment, as well as day-to-day operations of the School.