Alumni

Catherine Donner, a recent graduate of the Data Science and Analytics master's program, has been awarded the Department of Defense Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship. The SMART Scholarship provides full tuition funding, annual stipends, and guaranteed internships and post-graduate employment with the Department of Defense. With the SMART Scholarship, she will be continuing her education at OU starting in the fall through the Data Science and Analytics PhD program with Dr. Anindya Maiti as her advisor. She plans to study neuromorphic computing, federated learning, and explainable AI with public policy and defense applications as part of her dissertation. Catherine worked as a graduate research assistant at DISC from January 2023 to May 2024, where she worked on projects including the Tinker Air Force Base Supply Chain Risk Management project, the Social Media Analytics and Reporting Toolkit (SMART) NATO project, and the NSF AI AG project. Her thesis research focused on analyzing various misinformation detection methods including large language models (LLMs), unsupervised learning models, and generative AI models.

In the heart of the University of Oklahoma (OU), Averi Bates, a dedicated graduate student, has emerged as a trailblazer in the realm of data-driven research, courtesy of her remarkable journey with the Data Institute for Societal Challenges (DISC).

DISC, a hub for innovative research and interdisciplinary collaboration, became a pivotal platform for Averi's academic pursuits, offering her access to a wealth of resources and transformative events. Among these, the February OU DISC Methane Gas Lecture Series stood out, providing Averi with deep insights into environmental challenges and the pivotal role of data in addressing them.

For Averi, DISC wasn't just about attending events—it was about actively engaging in groundbreaking research initiatives. One such endeavor involved her collaboration with Dr. Ebert on a pioneering project focused on using machine learning to detect misinformation in COVID-19-related tweets. Through meticulous data collection and preprocessing, Averi honed her skills, laying the groundwork for her future endeavors in the field.

Reflecting on her experience, Averi emphasized the significance of cross-collaboration within DISC, stating, "These events foster cross-collaboration, which is important to me." It was this collaborative ethos that propelled her towards new horizons of knowledge and innovation, shaping her perspective on research and its potential for societal impact.

Averi's academic journey is driven by a profound sense of purpose. As a Computer Science major, she is passionate about applying machine learning in medicine, particularly in assisting doctors with image diagnostics. Her ongoing thesis on machine learning models in biomedical imaging is a testament to her unwavering commitment to driving positive change through research.

Looking towards the future, Averi envisions pursuing a Ph.D. with a focus on computational biology, where she hopes to push the boundaries of data science in the service of humanity. Her journey with DISC has not only equipped her with the necessary skills and knowledge but also instilled in her a sense of responsibility to make a meaningful impact on the world.