Director, Atlanta University Center Consortium Data Science Initiative
Dr. Talitha Washington is the inaugural director of the
Atlanta University Center Consortium (AUCC) Data Science
Initiative. This new initiative seeks to provide
data-driven solutions to current and emerging societal
problems, especially as it pertains to the African
American community. Poised to bring new diverse
perspectives to data science, Dr. Washington is a
professor of Mathematics at Clark Atlanta University and
is an affiliate faculty member at Morehouse College,
Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College.
Dr. Washington is a former program director at the
National Science Foundation (NSF) in the Convergence
Accelerator. Previously, as a program director in the
Division of Undergraduate Education, she was
instrumental in building and establishing NSF’s first
Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program which funded
$40,000,000 in awards in FY19. Her research interests
include the applications of differential equations to
problems in biology and engineering, as well as the
development of nonstandard finite difference schemes to
numerically solve dynamical systems.
She was elected to honor societies Phi Beta Kappa and
Sigma Xi, and mathematics honor societies Kappa Mu
Epsilon and Pi Mu Epsilon. She is the recipient of the
2019 BEYA STEM Innovator Award, MAA’s 2018 Leitzel
Lecturer, an ASI Fellow, and featured by NSF as a Woman
History Maker. In 2019, she received the distinguished
Outstanding Faculty Award from Howard University. In
2020, she received the NSF Director’s Award for Superior
Accomplishment.
Dr. Washington completed her undergraduate studies in
mathematics at Spelman College and studied abroad at the
Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara, Mexico. She earned
her master’s and doctoral degrees in mathematics from
the University of Connecticut. She was a VIGRE Research
Associate in the Department of Mathematics at Duke
University. She held assistant professorships at The
College of New Rochelle and the University of
Evansville, an associate professorship at Howard
University, and most recently, a full professorship at
Clark Atlanta University.
Senior Data Science Researcher
Dr. Stephanie Miller, currently serves as the Project
Director for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office
for Civil Rights, where she leads and oversees Civil
Rights Data Collection, a national administrative survey
of all public-school districts and public schools
focused on equal resources and opportunities for the
nation’s students.
Dr. Miller has nearly 20 years of quantitative and
qualitative research experience. She has led core
research teams, directed the development of national
data collection systems, and managed large-scale
research projects. She also currently serves as an
adjunct faculty member for the Department of Technology
and Security at Bowie State University. She teaches the
department data science course.
She has a Ph.D. in Education from Temple University, a
master’s degree in Education Policy and Research from
the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, a professional
certification in Data Science from Georgetown
University, and two bachelors’ degrees from the
University of Maryland-College Park.
Project Manager, U.S. Department of State (Office of Management Strategy & Solutions Center for Analytics)
Shari Tucker serves as a Project Manager at the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Management Strategy and Solutions Center for Analytics, an enterprise-level analytics capability. Shari’s work exemplifies her strong belief that data should be explorable and promote change. Shari oversees data analytics projects with interactive dashboards aimed at improving data access, user experiences, and promoting data-informed insights. She also leads CfA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) and Quick Response Team (QRT) efforts. Previously, Shari also served in the State Department’s Office of Consular Systems and Technology and managed software development for the American Citizen Services suite of applications that support U.S. citizens abroad. Shari joined the federal civil service in 2009 with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). Shari holds an MBA in Information Security Management and a BSBA in Management Information Systems from the University of West Florida in Pensacola, FL.
CEO & Co-Founder, Salynt
Jeremy Lawson, the CEO and Co-Founder of Salynt, is a
highly skilled and accomplished Data Scientist with over
a decade of experience in the technology industry. He is
known for his expertise in identity data management,
machine learning, and artificial intelligence. In
addition, Jeremy has a proven track record of delivering
innovative solutions, having written several notable
papers in the field, including "How to Be Wrong, but
Useful: A Case Study on Choosing the Right Tool for
Social Network Analysis" (Booz Allen Hamilton, 2019),
"An Adversarial Approach to Countering Artificial
Intelligence" (SIXGEN, INC., 2020), and "Use of Machine
Learning for the Optimization of Image Data Downlink
Transmissions of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Based Tactical
Satellites" (SIXGEN, INC., 2020).
In addition to his professional achievements, Jeremy is
dedicated to giving back to the community. He serves on
the International Black Firefighters Museum Board, is a
member of The National Alliance for Doctoral Studies in
Mathematical Sciences, and was the Past President of the
Maryland Black Caucus Foundation. Jeremy holds a Master
of Data Science degree from George Washington University
and a Bachelor of Mathematics degree from Jackson State
University. These academic credentials, combined with
his extensive experience and passion for technology,
make Jeremy a valuable asset to the industry and a true
leader in his field.
Peachtree Associate Professor of Evangelism & Church Growth, Columbia Theological Seminary
Ralph Basui Watkins is known as "the scholar with a
camera!" He is a professor, photographer, documentarian,
faith leader and scholar. He is the author of six books,
and over thirty chapters and articles. He is a sought
after speaker, workshop leader and panelist. His
television show Talk it Out with Dr. Ralph Basui Watkins
was one of the top rated shows on the Atlanta Interfaith
Broadcasting network for over four years (2012-2016). He
is also the producer / director of three full length
made for television feature documentaries: She Is The
Pastor (2012) and Our Journey to Palestine: A Story of
the 43rd Delegation of Interfaith Peace Builders (2013)
and Africana Theology and the Roots of Our Faith: A
Journey Through Egypt (2018). Dr. Watkins has had two
solo photography shows and his photographs have been
published in numerous publications. He is presently
working on a trans-media scholarship project
(documentary, photography and book) Seeing the Future of
the Church in the Rainbow: A Year in the Life of Real
Inspiration Ministry.
In recent years, Watkins has been the artist in
residence at the Velvet Note and St. James Live, both
nationally recognized jazz clubs. He also been awarded a
Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant, Collegeville
Institute Sabbatical Residency Grant, Governor’s
Teaching Fellowship, Lilly Teaching Fellowship,
Fulbright Hayes Fellowship for study in Ghana, a Wabash
Teaching Fellowship, and various awards and grants to
study in Kenya, Tanzania, Egypt, Ethiopia, Senegal, and
Ghana.
Register today to secure your spot at this exciting event and join us in celebrating and exploring the field of data science.
Disclaimer: The agenda for the event displayed is subject to change. We strive to provide accurate and up-to-date information, but unforeseen circumstances may necessitate adjustments to the schedule. We encourage all attendees to check for updates regularly and apologize for any inconvenience caused by last-minute changes.
The HBCU Data Science Consortium is interested in posters of data science that validate important research issues or showcase realistic applications that impact the HBCU community and community partners.
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