July 2025

Welcome to the July edition of the Data Science and AI Hub newsletter!

Welcome to summer from all of us at the Data Science and AI Hub! As the season heats up, so do opportunities to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of data and AI together.

Looking ahead: We're thrilled to announce that WiADS 2025 is officially on the horizon! Join us for a day dedicated to amplifying the voices of women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals in AI and data science. We’re now accepting talk proposals from individuals at all experience levels — if you have a story, research, or insight to share, we’d love to hear from you.

Want to get involved or stay updated as WiADS approaches? Fill out our interest form to receive event updates, suggest speakers or topics, or join the planning committee.

We’re just getting started. The Data Science and AI Hub is continuing to grow, connect, and lead across campus and beyond. Follow us on LinkedIn for daily updates, stories, and opportunities to engage with our vibrant community.

Stay engaged and inspired! Explore the latest updates, events, and news below or visit our website for more information.

Save the Date for WiADS 2025!

Join the Data Science and AI Hub for an empowering day dedicated to amplifying the voices of women, non-binary, and gender-diverse individuals in AI and data science. Engage in insightful talks, compelling storytelling, and meaningful connections with leaders in AI and data science. From the future of AI to pressing issues in data ethics, our speakers will offer perspectives that educate, challenge, and inspire. Join a supportive, community-focused event where connection, collaboration, and celebration take center stage, fostering inspiration and shared growth.  

Our 2025 Keynote: Alex Hanna 

Dr. Alex Hanna is Director of Research at the Distributed AI Research Institute (DAIR) and a sociologist focused on how data used in computational technologies reinforce racial, gender, and class inequalities. 

Talk Submissions: Interested in sharing your work, research, or story at WiADS 2025? We welcome talk proposals from individuals of all backgrounds and experience levels working in AI and data science. Submit a proposal today.

Stay Connected & Get Involved: Want to stay in the loop on WiADS 2025 updates, including registration announcements and speaker news? Complete our interest form to receive updates. You can also use the form to express interest in joining the planning committee or to suggest speakers and topics you’d like to see at this year’s event.

Interested in exploring new strategies for teaching and learning programming outside of computer science disciplines?

If so, and you’re a staff member, faculty, instructor, postdoc, or undergraduate student on the Twin Cities campus, you’re a candidate for our research study.

Research Project Title: NIC - Social Science Computing

IRB: STUDY00024471

Project Purpose:

This research project seeks to build a Networked Improvement Community focused on teaching and learning programming outside of computer science. NICs develop effective interventions by exploring, testing, and refining computing support pathways. There are four stages: identifying specific areas of need (Plan), envisioning new supports and implementing them to address needs (Do), using measures to gauge changes that occur (Study), and refining and sharing learning designs (Act) (American Institutes for Research, 2023; Bryk et al., 2015). Our study would cover the Plan, Do, and Study phases of a NIC to bring together a distributed population of stakeholders to make collective decisions to improve the teaching and learning of programming outside of computer science disciplines.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Have an interest in exploring new strategies for teaching and learning programming outside of computer science disciplines.
• Be a staff member, instructor, postdoc, or undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota on the Twin Cities campus.

Participants will invest about 14 hours of time for the 9 NIC meetings over the course of two semesters, and an additional 2 hours of time to connect with fellow NIC members. Meals will be provided at all meetings. To thank you for your participation in the study, you will receive a $350 Tango gift-card and $30 coffee shop gift card at the end of the study. There are no known risks involved in this research. All information gathered will be kept strictly confidential, and your identity will be anonymized in any resulting publications or reports.

Should you choose to participate, you will be asked to: 

• Attend and participate in 1 introductory meeting in August 2025 and 8 NIC meetings in Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 to brainstorm and develop new strategies for teaching and learning programming outside of computer science. Meetings will be audio-recorded and last about 1.5 hours. They will be held on Monday or Thursday evenings from 4-5:30pm. Meals will be provided at all meetings.
• Complete questionnaires before the project starts, throughout the project, and at the end of the project.

If you are interested in participating or would like to learn more, please complete the NIC Interest Form. 

Call for Proposals: UMN's Navigating the GenAI Landscape Forum

We are pleased to announce Navigating the GenAI Landscape: A UMN forum for exploration and discovery. 

This online event, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on October 24, 2025, is sponsored by the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI), the Data Science and AI Hub (DSAI Hub), and the Office of Information Technology (OIT) with the objective of fostering discourse and promoting the responsible adoption of AI tools within the University System. 

The program will feature a keynote address, alongside opportunities to attend presentations, hands-on workshops, and high-energy, “lightning round” 15-minute presentations. The forum will explore four tracks: Teaching and Learning, Research, Administrative and University Operations, and Getting Started with AI.

Call for Proposals

We invite presentation proposals from systemwide faculty, staff, and students. Please submit your proposal(s) by July 15, 2025. The planning committee will conduct a rigorous review process and notify presenters of acceptance by September 1, 2025. If you have questions about your proposal, email [email protected].

CS&E Alumnus Jeff Dean Returns to Campus for Commencement

This spring, Jeff Dean (CSci ’90), Google’s Chief Scientist and co-lead of the Gemini project, returned to the University of Minnesota for a series of events celebrating graduates and the future of AI. Dean delivered a packed seminar on advances in machine learning, spoke at the CS&E 50-year reunion luncheon, and gave the keynote address at the CSE Undergraduate Commencement.

Throughout his visit, Dean reflected on his journey from student to AI leader, highlighting the transformative power of collaboration, technology, and curiosity. He also met with CS&E faculty and students, including recipients of the Hopper-Dean Scholarship he co-founded with his wife, Heidi Hopper.

Learn more about Jeff Dean’s impact and his ongoing support of the CS&E community on the CS&E website.

The DSAI Hub regularly features interviews with members of our vibrant data science community, delving into their perspectives on the field and its implications for their careers. 

This month we are honored to spotlight Jamshid A. Vayghan, Ph.D., whose work focuses on helping organizations scale AI and data-driven innovation from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide impact. Jamshid defines data science as a strategic capability that connects data to decisions, blending engineering, governance, and cross-disciplinary collaboration to unlock business value. A recent insight from a global data transformation effort revealed that centralized data alone isn’t enough, real value comes when teams trust, understand, and use it consistently. He’s energized by the convergence of proprietary and open-source platforms, and the future of data science as an applied, interdisciplinary field tackling challenges like algorithmic bias, security, and responsible AI.

Read Jamshid’s full Community Corner spotlight on the DSAI website.

? How to Get Involved:

Let us know if you’d like to be featured or nominate someone who’s making an impact. This is your chance to shine and help us showcase the amazing talent and innovation that defines the DSAI Hub community.

Submit your interest to Leah Saaristo at [email protected]. Let’s celebrate the diverse voices that make the Data Science Initiative extraordinary!

View Previous Spotlights

2025 AI Spring Summit: Building the Future Together

This spring, the DSAI Hub and Health AI Institute welcomed researchers, technologists, students, ethicists, and community leaders to the AI Spring Summit, a three-day event focused on bold ideas and real-world impact.

Together, we explored how AI can improve rural healthcare, address bias, reshape policy, and spark innovation when developed with intention and integrity. From hallway conversations to keynote sessions, the energy and engagement of our community made this summit more than a conference, it was a movement.

Watch the Summit Recordings
View the Photo Gallery

Let’s keep the momentum going. Share your ideas, rewatch sessions, and help us continue building ethical, human-centered AI.

Read the full story 

? Have speaker or topic ideas? Email us at [email protected]

Title: Establishment of a Secure, Scalable iEEG Repository to Accelerate Brain Conditions Research

PI(s): David Darrow

Collaborators: Alex Herman, Theoden Netoff, Robert McGovern, Jim Cloyd, Esther

Krook-Magnuson, Tom Henry, Zhiyi Sha, Yogatheesan Varatharajah, Ziad Nahas,

Keshab Parhi

DSI Track: Foundational

MnDRIVE Area(s): Robotics and Sensors, Brain Conditions

Summary Paragraph: 

The human brain is an intricate network of neurons that govern our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Understanding how this network functions to support health and disease such as in epilepsy is a critical challenge in neuroscience. Epilepsy affects millions worldwide, causing sudden seizures that disrupt daily life and pose significant health risks. Our groundbreaking project aims to tackle this challenge by creating one of the world’s largest repositories of intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) data, an invaluable tool for understanding brain activity and seizure dynamics. This innovative repository will house continuous recordings of brain activity collected from over 80 patients with epilepsy, offering two weeks of uninterrupted data per individual. With more than 7,500 recording channels, synchronized video footage, and precise electrode mapping to brain regions, the dataset will provide an unprecedented window into the brain’s electrical activity during seizures and at rest. To enhance its utility, the repository will include rich metadata such as patient demographics, neuropsychological assessments, and detailed records of medication use. Our goal is to empower researchers to develop next-generation tools for epilepsy management. By analyzing this dataset, scientists can refine machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence to predict seizures with greater accuracy, identify the exact regions in the brain where seizures begin, and study how different medications influence brain activity. These insights can pave the way for personalized treatment plans, improve the success of surgical interventions, and enhance patient safety. The project is designed with scalability in mind. As more patients contribute data, the repository will expand, becoming a living resource that grows with the needs of the scientific community. By adhering to strict privacy standards and using the latest data-sharing technologies, we will ensure the repository is accessible to researchers at the University of Minnesota. This initiative represents a major leap forward in neuroscience research, offering hope for millions living with epilepsy while also laying the groundwork for breakthroughs in other brain disorders, such as traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases. By harnessing the power of data and collaboration, we aim to transform how we understand and treat brain conditions. Moreover, this project further cements the University of Minnesota's leadership in human neuroscience and neuromodulation research. By creating a resource of this scale and significance, we continue to drive innovation and discovery in brain health, solidifying our position as a global hub for transformative neuroscience advancements. The project is supported by an interdisciplinary team of experts from the University of Minnesota, spanning multiple departments and schools, including:

• Department of Neurology, Medical School (Dr. Tom Henry, Dr. Zhiyi Sha, Dr. Sandipan Pati)
• Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School (Dr. Robert McGovern, Dr. Michael Park, Dr. David Darrow)
• Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical School (Dr. Ziad Nahas, Dr. Alex Herman, Dr. Alik Widge)
• Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Science and Engineering (Dr. Theoden Netoff)
• Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Science and Engineering (Dr. Keshab Parhi, Dr.
• Yogatheesan Varatharajah)
• Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy (Dr. Jim Cloyd)
• Department of Neuroscience, Medical School (Dr. Esther Krook-Magnuson)
• The Hormel Institute (Dr. David Guinovart)

This cross-disciplinary collaboration ensures the project's success and highlights the University of Minnesota's commitment to fostering innovation across diverse fields to advance neuroscience and improve patient care.

View Seed Grant Awardees

A Breakthrough in Colorimetric Lateral Flow Diagnostics: An LED-Based Handheld Thermal Contrast Reader

When: July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Where: Walter Library  

Professor John Bischof, a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and a faculty member in the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering. He serves as Director of both the University of Minnesota Institute for Engineering in Medicine and the NSF Engineering Research Center for Advanced Technologies for Preservation of Biological Systems. In addition, Dr. Bischof currently holds the Medtronic-Bakken Endowed Chair for Engineering in Medicine.

Learn more and Register

Biosensors for point of care applications

When: August 5th, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Where: Walter Library  

In its Precision Sensing Lecture Series, International Institute for Biosensing (IIB) is proud to host Prof. T. G. Satheesh Babu. He currently serves as Professor in the Department of Chemistry, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore Campus. Prof. Babu leads the Biosensor Research group and Amrita Biomedical Engineering centre at the Coimbatore Campus and Heads the Amrita Biomedical Engineering (AMBE) centre. He also serves as the Research Head for the School of Physical Sciences at the Coimbatore campus.

Learn more and Register

Using Neural Signals to Optimize Neuromodulation Therapies to Treat Neurological Disease

When: September 8th, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Where: Walter Library

Professor Tay Netoff, Professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering. The Netoff lab is developing novel approaches for optimizing electrical stimulation to maximize outcomes for each patient.

Learn more and Register

Vision-based Industrial Inspection (VISION'25)

When: October 19th, 2025 at 9:00 - 17:00 HAST (UTC−10:00)

Where: TBD @ ICCV 2025, Honolulu, Hawaii

The 3rd Workshop on Vision-based Industrial Inspection (VISION'25) will be held at ICCV 2025 on October 19th in Hawaii. Following the success of VISION'23 @ CVPR and VISION'24 @ ECCV, this workshop brings together researchers, industry leaders, and practitioners to explore the latest innovations in vision-based industrial inspection. Attendees can look forward to keynote talks, technical sessions, and excellent networking opportunities with experts in the field.

Aims and Scope:

The VISION workshop provides a platform for exchanging cutting-edge research and addressing emerging practical challenges in vision-based industrial inspection. Through keynote talks, technical presentations, and challenge competitions, the workshop aims to:

• Bring together researchers from interdisciplinary communities related to computer vision-based inspection.
• Connect academic researchers with industry practitioners to align recent research advances with current industrial needs.

Current Organizing Committee:

• Shancong Mou, Zirui Liu and Wan Wang (University of Minnesota, Twin Cities)
• Juan Du (The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
• Hao Yan (Arizona State University)
• Gokberk Cinbis (Middle East Technical University)

Ethics of Robotics in Healthcare with Special Consideration for Women

When: November 10th, 2025 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Where: Walter Library  

Professor Catherine McCarty, Associate Dean for Research at the Medical School, Duluth campus, University of Minnesota. Professor McCarty started her research career as the Head of the Epidemiology Research Unit at the University of Melbourne. During her eight years in this position, she led population-based studies of vision impairment in Australia, India, and Hong Kong. Upon returning to the US, Professor McCarty was the Principal Investigator for the Marshfield Clinic Personalized Medicine Research Project and conducted research in the areas of genetic epidemiology, pharmacogenetics, and community engagement related to biobanking. Professor McCarty currently conducts mixed-methods research in bioethics and rural health.

Learn more and Register

2025 Data-Intensive Research Conference

When: August 6-7, 2025

Where: Minneapolis, MN & Virtual  

The IPUMS Big Microdata Network and NDIRA, a collaboration between IPUMS and the University of Minnesota Life Course Center, are currently accepting submissions for the 2025 Data-Intensive Research Conference, to be held in person in Minneapolis, Minnesota; key components of the program will also be available to virtual participants. The conference theme is Understanding Health and Population Dynamics through Big Microdata.

If you're interested in exploring these or other data science opportunities, whether it's finding the right team, preparing your submission, or partnering with industry on federal and state funding initiatives, please reach out—we’re here to help!

• New Generation of Glucose Control Technologies Incorporating AI/ML Tools/Strategies - NIH, NIDDK. Research for more effective open- and closed-loop diabetes control systems. This may include research that addresses: 1) innovation of sensing relevant analytes/physiologic signals; 2) novel formulation and delivery of hormones; 3) artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML)-driven tools/algorithms; and 4) digital twin modeling to augment decision support and automated control systems with the goal of improving glycemic control, reducing burden of care, and enhancing quality of life of people with T1D. Due Oct. 1, 2025 (Note BAA not out yet, look for it to drop on Sept. 1)
• Measurement Science and Engineering (MSE) Research Grant Programs - NIST: To support activities that develop, expand, strengthen, or sustain NIST partnership programs and/or support the conduct of research or a recipient's portion of collaborative research in a variety of areas including, but not limited to: Metrology; Standards; Nanotechnology; Artificial Intelligence; Advanced Communications; Advanced Manufacturing; Deadline: Rolling
• Fundamental AI Research - Army Contracting Command Rock Island: The Army Artificial Intelligence Integration Center (AI2C) is seeking artificial intelligence research and development whitepapers and proposals in support of new technologies and translational research-based approaches that support the identification, alignment, and exploitation of basic, applied, and advanced research. The army is interested in Autonomous platforms, AI/ML decision support fundamental research, Human-AI integration, novel visualization and synthetic environment approaches to enable improved training, distributed AI, and foundational AI and data algorithms. Deadline: Rolling

• Future Product Innovation Research Intern, HCI Creativity - Toyota Research Institute:  This internship opportunity falls within the Human-Centered AI Division (HCAI). We are seeking a highly motivated and versatile PhD research intern to join our Future Product Innovation team and open up the boundaries on what is possible with Generative AI technologies in the domain of narrative-driven design and future scenario generation. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in multi-media and immersive technologies, with demonstrated interest in design and generative AI.
• Future Product Innovation Research Intern, CAD Generation ML - Toyota Research Institute:  This internship opportunity falls within the Human-Centered AI Division (HCAI). We are seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD research intern to join our Future Product Innovation team and push the envelope on what is possible with Generative AI technologies in the domain of automotive product design. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in CAD Generation and Machine Learning or related fields, with demonstrated interest in design and generative AI.
• Postdoctoral Researcher in AI, Privacy, and Policy - University of Oxford (Opens PDF): The Synthetic Society Lab at the Oxford Internet Institute invites applications from enthusiastic and motivated candidates for a postdoctoral position working on cutting-edge research at the intersection of Machine Learning and Privacy-Enhancing Technologies, with a focus on public interest technology research.
• AI Governance Fellow - Center for Democracy & Technology: The Fellow will contribute to the work of CDT’s AI Governance Lab, focused on the responsible design, testing, monitoring and regulation of AI systems.
• Machine Learning Engineer  AI Agent - Zoom: We're seeking an experienced Machine Learning Engineer specializing in LLMs and autonomous agents and agentic AI to join our AI team. You'll be instrumental in developing and deploying intelligent agent systems that can understand context, make decisions, and execute complex tasks across our platform.

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