Lloyd G. and Joyce Austin Presidential Professor
Email: amcgovern@ou.edu
Office: National Weather Center/NWC 3435
Website: mcgovern-fagg.org/amy
Education
Ph.D., Computer Science
University of Massachusetts Amherst
M.S., Computer Science
University of Massachusetts Amherst
B.S., Computer Science
Carnegie Mellon University (with honors)
Research Focus
Experience and Awards
NSF AI INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON TRUSTWORTHY AI IN WEATHER, CLIMATE, AND COASTAL OCEANOGRAPHY (AI2ES) https://www.ai2es.org
The NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES) is a convergent center that will create trustworthy AI for environmental science, revolutionize prediction and understanding of high-impact weather and ocean hazards, and benefit society by protecting lives and property. Leading experts from AI, atmospheric and ocean science, risk communication, and education, will work synergistically to develop and test trustworthy AI methods that will transform our understanding and prediction of the environment. Trust is a social phenomenon, and our integration of risk communication research across AI2ES activities provides an empirical foundation for developing user-informed, trustworthy AI by engaging and partnering with key environmental decision makers from communities that will be using the techniques developed. Our partnership of multiple academic institutions, NCAR, NOAA, and private industry spans the full cycle of fundamental research into trustworthy AI and enables rapid integration of trustworthy AI for increased societal impact. Environmental science provides a perfect testbed to advance trustworthy AI given its grounding in nature’s physical laws and conservation principles as well as the broad range of stakeholder feedback and high societal impact.
AI2ES broadening participation and workforce development activities fully integrate with AI2ES research on trustworthy AI, environmental science and risk communication. In coordination with two Hispanic (HSI) and Minority Serving (MSI) institutions, we will create and pilot test a novel community college certificate in AI for the environmental sciences and pilot. This certificate will significantly enhance the diversity of the STEM workforce. AI2ES will also develop AI/ES training for all levels of students, including K-12 outreach and modules, and online education modules that leverage our private industry’s existing educational resources and networks. By leveraging private industry and existing successful internship programs for under-represented minority (URM) students, AI2ES will create a pipeline for URM students to gain valuable experience in AI/ES.
Dr. Amy McGovern is a professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma and in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. Dr McGovern is also the director of the NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography. Her research focuses on developing and applying trustworthy AI and machine learning methods primarily for severe weather phenomena. Dr. McGovern received her PhD in Computer Science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2002 and was a senior postdoctoral research associate at the University of Massachusetts until joining the University of Oklahoma in January, 2005. She received her MS from the University of Massachusetts Amherst (1998) and her BS (honors) from Carnegie Mellon University (1996).