FAMU Secures $500K NSF Grant to Enhance Biology Education at HBCUs with AI and Machine Learning Integration

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Florida A&M University (FAMU) has been awarded $500,000 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for a collaborative research project that will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into biology education.

This project, a partnership between FAMU and three other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)—Jackson State University (JSU), Alcorn State University (ASU), and Grambling State University (GSU)— aims to revolutionize biology curricula by equipping students with cutting-edge skills in AI and ML technologies.

“Through this grant, FAMU remains at the forefront of educational innovation in a technology-driven world,” said Provost Allyson L. Watson, Ph.D. “By integrating AI and Machine Learning into our biology curriculum, we are preparing our students with essential skills that are increasingly in demand across industries.”

The three-year project will be led by Clement G. Yedjou, Ph.D., an associate professor of biology and data science at FAMU, and will focus on two primary objectives:

• Faculty Training: Faculty members from all partner institutions will undergo training in AI and ML technologies to incorporate these tools into general biology courses. More than 700 students are expected to benefit from the innovative curriculum to enhance learning outcomes.
• Student Performance and Engagement: Course comparisons between AI/ML-enhanced courses will be assessed against traditional biology courses to inform future curriculum innovations and their impact on student performance and engagement.

“This initiative will provide our students with cutting-edge skills in AI and Machine Learning, preparing them for careers in data-intensive fields,” said Yedjou while noting this is the first NSF-funded project to integrate these technologies into general biology courses.

Yedjou will collaborate with four co-principal investigators at each partner institution: Jinwei Liu, Ph.D. (FAMU), Felicite Noubissi-Kamdem, Ph.D. (JSU), Jameka Grigsby, Ph.D. (ASU), and Waneene Dorsey, Ph.D. (GSU).

FAMU researchers hope to produce a replicable model of AI/ML-integrated pedagogy for other institutions searching for scalable ways to boost student success in general biology courses.

Lekan Latinwo, Ph.D., chair of the Biological Sciences Department at the FAMU College of Science and Technology, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating it has “the potential to revolutionize biology education at HBCUs, and we look forward to sharing our findings with the wider educational community.”