Howard University Professor Danda B. Rawat Receives $700,000 Grant for Trustworthy AI Research

Dr. Danda B. Rawat, a professor of computer science at Howard University's College of Engineering and Architecture and director of the AI Center of Excellence (AICoE), has been awarded a $700,000 research grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The three-year project aims to create reliable, explainable, and secure artificial intelligence systems for critical infrastructure sectors such as transportation, emergency response, and national security. Dr. Rawat and his team plan to develop a hybrid neuro-symbolic AI framework that combines neural networks with symbolic reasoning to improve scene perception and decision-making processes in dynamic environments.

The research will focus on Neuro-Symbolic Reinforcement Learning algorithms that enable systems to learn continuously while providing transparent explanations for their actions. This funding provided by the NSF will, in addition to technological goals, offer Howard University students opportunities to participate in high-impact projects and workforce development in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cybersecurity.