CS Director
Lloyd & Joyce Austin Presidential Professor
Associate Professor
Email: hougen@ou.edu
Phone: (405) 325-3150
Office: Devon Energy Hall Room 158
Web: www.cs.ou.edu/~hougen/
Education
Ph.D., Computer Science
Graduate Minor, Cognitive Science
The University of Minnesota
B.S., Computer Science
Iowa State University
Research Focus
Experience and Awards
Dr. Dean F. Hougen is an associate professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma as well as the director of the School. Dr. Hougen has a PhD in Computer Science and Engineering from the University of Minnesota, with a graduate minor in Cognitive Science, and a BS in Computer Science from Iowa State University with minors in Philosophy and Mathematics. His primary research involves artificial intelligence (AI), particularly robotics and machine learning (ML), focusing on artificial neural networks and deep learning; interpretable, informed, informative, and interactive machine learning; the evolution of learning; distributed, heterogeneous, multi- agent robotic systems and situated learning in real robotic systems; reinforcement learning, connectionist learning, and evolutionary computation. He also has strong interests in computer science education and ethics. He has also worked in the areas of expert systems, decision support systems, geographic information systems, data compression, and user interfaces. Dr. Hougen has jointly secured grant and contract awards in excess of $20M since coming to OU in 2001 and has more than 100 refereed publications in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, ethics, and computer science education during his career. He has more than thirty years of experience developing AI/ML systems and fielded software and hardware systems including OU’s first official iPhone application OU2GO in Summer 2009. He has advised dozens of doctoral and masters students, as well as countless undergraduates. In 2022, Dr. Hougen was awarded the Lloyd and Joyce Austin Presidential Professorship in honor of his excellence in scholarship and teaching.
National Science Foundation, “Predictive Intelligence for Pandemic Prevention Phase I: Next Generation Surveillance Incorporating Public Health, One Health, and Data Science to Detect Emerging Pathogens of Pandemic Potential,” with David S. Ebert, Michael C. Wimberly, Jason R. Vogel, Thirumalai Venkatesan, Hank Jenkins-Smith, Chao Lan, Charles Nicholson, Talayeh Razzaghi, and Anni Yang, $1M, Jul 2022-Jan 2024.
National Science Foundation, “Computer Science Indigenous Community of Learners United to Develop, Excel, and Succeed (CS INCLUDES),” with Deborah A. Trytten, Heather J. Shotton, Natalie Youngbull, Deborah A. Moore-Russo, Randa L. Shehab, and Casey V. Haskins, $1.5M, Oct 2021-Sep 2026.
Air Force Sustainment Center, “Attention and Decision Hierarchies for Interpretable Auto Routing of Aircraft,” with John Antonio and Lacey Schley,” $476K, Sep 2021-Aug 2023.
Air Force Research Laboratory, “Smart Fusion for Command-and-Control Operations,” with John Antonio and Lacey Schley, $610K, Sep 2021-Dec 2022.
Economic Development Administration, “CARES Act Grant,” with Thomas Wavering, John Antonio, Lacey Schley, Joyce Burch, Brandt Smith, and Francisco Robles, $450K, Feb 2021-Feb 2024.
Universidad Nacional de San Agustín (UNSA), Peru, “Creation of the joint UNSA/OU Center for Monitoring and Control of Public Health for the Arequipa Region,” with David Ebert, Hank Jenkins-Smith, Charles Nicholson, and Carol Silva, $1.6M, Feb 2021-Dec 2023.
Boeing Defense and Space Group, “SkyNet: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Improvements for Reconnaissance,” with Sridhar Radhakrishnan, Charles Nicholson, Christan Grant, and John Antonio, $88K, Aug 2020-Dec 2020.
Boeing Defense and Space Group, “Hydra: Implementation of Multi-Threaded Software for Reconnaissance,” with Sridhar Radhakrishnan, Christan Grant, Charles Nicholson, and John Antonio, $183K, Aug 2020-Dec 2020.
Oklahoma Department of Transportation, “Machine Learning for Transportation Short Course,” $50K, Nov 2019-Sep 2020.
Federal Aviation Administration, “Learner Data Management,” with Christan Grant, $139K, Jan 2017-Dec 2017.
Weathernews, Inc., “Coastal Assistant Prototype,” with Sridhar Radhakrishnan, Christan Grant, and Suleyman Karabuk, $101K, Jun 2016-Dec 2016.
Weathernews, Inc., “WxButler: An Artificial Intelligence Planning System for Maritime Logistics,” with Sridhar Radhakrishnan and Suleyman Karabuk, $60K, Jun 2015-Dec 2015.
National Science Foundation, “Mental Models and Creative Problem-Solving in Information Technology,” with Michael Mumford and Eric Day, $207K, Sep 2009-Aug 2011.
National Science Foundation, “Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site: Integrated Machine Learning Systems,” with Andrew H. Fagg, Amy McGovern, Rafael Fierro and Terran Lane, $311K, Feb 2008-Jan 2011.
National Science Foundation, “Development and Evaluation of a Work Practices Approach for Ethics Education in Science and Engineering,” with Michael Mumford, Frederick Carr, Mary Connelly, Teri Murphy, Morris Foster, Marguerite Keesee, and Robert Palmer, $210K, Oct 2005-Sep 2008.
National Science Foundation, "Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site: Embedded Machine Learning Systems,” with Andrew H. Fagg, Amy McGovern, Kelvin Droegemeier, and Terran Lane, $300K, Feb 2005-Jan 2008.
Army Research Office, “Adaptation and Learning at All Levels in Intelligent Robot Teams for Reconnaissance, Surveillance, and Battlefield Assessment,” with Sesh Commuri and Rafael Fierro, $812K, Jul 2003-Jun 2007.