As data drives the future of innovation, Howard researcher Talitha Washington, Ph.D., is working to make sure that everyone has a voice in the evolving landscape. She has made a crusade of ushering talent from all communities into data science and artificial intelligence (AI), including students, faculty, and professionals from all communities. As part of the current leg of her already storied career journey, Washington leads Howard’s Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics and is co-chair of the AI Advisory Council. In particular, she is actively supporting researchers at all levels to embrace interdisciplinary approaches to addressing economic challenges, health disparities, social issues, and environmental concerns using statistical methods, algorithms, and computing systems to glean insight from large amounts of data. She is also Howard’s Sean McCleese Endowed Chair in Computer Science, Race, and Social Justice.
“Data science, analytics, and AI are revolutionizing how we understand and interact with the world,” said Washington. “Together, they enable us to solve complex problems, innovate faster, and shape a future driven by informed decisions.”
Washington’s vision stems from her own research. She is a mathematician at heart. In fact, in one of her papers, she and her Howard colleague Oluwaseye Adekanye, (Ph.D. ’17), compared the relationship between discretizations of a system based on the rate of change among various factors, using values and characteristics of the equations in the system. Stated more formally, the paper “constructs two dynamically consistent nonstandard finite difference (NSFD) schemes using the Mickens methodology,” a reference to noted mathematician R. E. Mickens, Ph.D.
Though it sounds theoretical, her work is indisputably practical. The Tacoma Narrows Bridge in Tacoma, Washington, collapsed just four months after it opened in 1940. According to eyewitnesses, the bridge was exhibiting movement vertically and then began twisting in other ways. The technology and knowledge did not exist at the time to properly take multiple factors into account, such as the wind, construction, and shape of the bridge, so models were developed that attempted to explain the collapse by making approximations to account for unknown factors, or “linearizing.” As these approximations can lead to inaccurate conclusions, the results can be disastrous. Washington’s research shows how to find better approximate solutions by creating two different numerical schemes. This work can help in understanding how to make structures safer and can help speed up computations.
“The power of mathematics lies in its ability to turn complex challenges into solvable equations,” said Washington. “It helps us make sense of data, predict outcomes, and design solutions that benefit communities at scale.”
While mathematics is her first research love, Washington is equally passionate about opening doors of opportunity for others to enter into the world of data to solve a range of societal and industrial problems. Her research into educational methods for teaching data science informed the development of guidelines for an undergraduate curriculum designed for use in colleges around the world. She collaborated with researchers, educators, and thought leaders from across the country to develop these guidelines have an interdisciplinary approach that emphasizes development in analytical thinking, mathematics, model building, data curation, and knowledge transfer, along with a strong foundation in algorithms and software. The goal is to prepare students to thrive in highly dynamic, data-rich environments and effectively tackle complex challenges.
“To solve global challenges, we must foster new innovations in data science and AI research while reimagining how we educate and train future talent. By cultivating the next generation of data and AI leaders, we drive continuous advancement, ensuring they are prepared to shape a better world.”
Washington could not be better suited for her research leadership role at Howard. She previously served as the director and lead principal investigator of the U.S. National Science Foundation National Data Science Alliance, where she spearheaded the development of an HBCU-wide network to advance innovations in data science research and expand curriculum offerings. Additionally, she was instrumental in launching the first Hispanic Serving Institutions program at the NSF. She also served as director of the Atlanta University Center Data Science Initiative, stewarding research and curriculum development across the campus of Clark Atlanta University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Spelman College. She is the immediate past president of the Association for Women in Mathematics and is a member of the Census Scientific Advisory Committee of the U.S. Census Bureau.
Article ID: 2226