WKU News

The Western Kentucky University Applied Center for Data Science and the Applied Research Technology Program are hosting the Fourth Annual Data Science Day today, Tuesday, April 8. 

There will be two plenary talks. The first will be by Dr. Prasanna Balaprakash, Director of AI Programs and Distinguished Staff Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The title of Dr. Balaprakash's talk is "Overview of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's AI Initiative: Advancing Secure, Trustworthy, and Energy-Efficient AI at Scale for Scientific Discovery." The second is by Dr. Jesse Spencer-Smith, Associate Dean for Partnerships and Innovation and Chief Data Scientist and Interim Director of the Data Science Institute at Vanderbilt University.  The title of Dr. Spencer-Smith's talk is "AI and the New Frontiers of Data Science." Dr. Balaprakash's remote talk is at 1:30 p.m., while Dr. Spencer-Smith's talk is at 6 p.m. Both talks are in Snell Hall 1108.

There will also be a number of general session industrial and student presentations from 2:30-6:00 p.m. in Snell Hall 1108. Jeffrey Sumner will talk about his career journal from WKU to Bath & Body Works at 2:30 p.m. Dr. Belinda Petri will talk about her bioinformatics work at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Dr. Alex Lebedinsky will discuss the new data science programs at WKU at 4 PM. Peter Agaba of Mass General Brigham will talk about using data science to aid in hypertension diagnosis. Kahlil Garmon will discuss how the Innovation Campus and the Regional Technology Council helped him start his company, Moneybot, at 5:20 p.m.

The students presentations are by graduate students Michael Seavers, Samir Pahari, Victor Aham, Mahamad Sayab Miya, and Andrew Toussain; Gatton Academy student Vedant Garg; and undergraduates Jenna Wells, Kelly Miller, Sarah Thompson, and Cole Meador.  Wells, Miller, and Meador are supported on Undergraduate Student in Data Science grants from the Applied Center for Data Science.

The schedule, including presentation abstracts, can be found at https://www.wku.edu/artp/data_science_day_2025.php.

Attendees may register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-data-science-day-tickets-1277380833459. 

For more information, contact Richard Schugart at richard.schugart@wku.edu.