Utah State University (USU) has established the Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) Center, a new, collaborative initiative aimed at addressing the growing challenges in the fields of data science and artificial intelligence. This interdisciplinary center is designed to connect researchers and educators across a variety of departments, facilitating collaboration and innovation in solving complex data and AI-related problems. The center was launched to meet the increasing need for cooperation among faculty and researchers working in these emerging areas, making it easier for them to connect and work together on interdisciplinary projects.
The DSAI Center was founded by four key departments at USU: the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Data Analytics and Information Systems, and the Department of Computer Science. Since its inception, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences has also joined the initiative. Each of these departments contributes funding and has a faculty member on the center’s steering committee, which helps guide its decisions and initiatives. Additionally, the College of Science and the College of Engineering have pledged their support, further emphasizing the university’s commitment to the development of the DSAI Center.
Kevin Moon, the director of the DSAI Center and an associate professor of mathematics and statistics, explained that the center’s main goal is to foster collaboration across disciplines. “Our goal is to foster collaboration across disciplines,” said Moon. “By creating a nexus for researchers and educators, we’re building a stronger data science and AI community at USU.” He noted that while many researchers across USU are involved in data science and AI-related projects, it can be difficult to identify them across different departments. The DSAI Center aims to bridge this gap and make it easier for faculty, students, and external collaborators to connect, share ideas, and innovate together.
As the center moves forward, it plans to host regular research seminars and workshops where participants can discuss challenges, share knowledge, and develop innovative solutions to data and AI-related issues. The goal is to build a strong, interconnected community of researchers, students, and industry professionals dedicated to advancing the field of data science and AI. These events will provide a platform for collaboration and problem-solving, offering attendees opportunities to learn from one another and work together on solving pressing challenges.
In the future, the DSAI Center hopes to expand its impact by increasing its outreach and hosting additional events. USU also plans to seek funding from the Utah Legislature for physical space to house the center. This building project, which was the only project approved by the Utah Board of Higher Education for legislative funding in 2025, will provide a dedicated space to enhance the center’s interdisciplinary work and further strengthen its role in advancing data science and AI at USU.
The DSAI Center will officially kick off with a keynote presentation by Berton Earnshaw, an AI Founding Fellow at Recursion Pharmaceuticals, on January 24. This will be followed by a reception and poster session, showcasing the data science and AI research at USU. The event is open to faculty, staff, students, and the general public.
