MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Tech has been awarded $2.3 million in federal funding to expand its AI.Panther high-performance-computing cluster as the university continues to prepare for and welcome the coming wave of extraordinary technology fueled by artificial intelligence.
The new funding from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will support the university’s project, “Leveraging High Performance Computing and Artificial Intelligence for Enhanced Cybersecurity, Resilience and Innovation in Aerospace and Defense Industry,” which complements Florida Tech’s innovative Aerospace Cybersecurity Engineering Development (ASCEND) program and other AI and large-scale computational projects at Florida Tech.
Florida Tech has growing expertise in artificial intelligence and data science, with research and teaching ranging from methodology and software development to large-scale AI applications in diverse areas, including healthcare, defense, cybersecurity, business analytics and social and behavioral sciences, noted Munevver Mine Subasi, associate provost for academic affairs and principal investigator on the NIST project.
“The expansion of our AI.Panther cluster will provide state-of-the-art computational infrastructure to promote interdisciplinary projects within Florida Tech, facilitate workforce training, and foster university-industry and university-government collaborations, enabling Florida Tech to serve as an intellectual and innovation hub for AI research,” Subasi said.
Indeed, in addition to equipping students and professionals with the cutting-edge AI skills required to succeed in today’s evolving technological landscape, the project will allow Florida Tech to collaborate with aerospace and defense sectors to stay at the forefront of innovation and remain competitive in the global market.
“By establishing strong partnerships with industry and government, Florida Tech has created a collaborative ecosystem that facilitates the exchange of knowledge, resources and expertise,” said John Z. Kiss, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs and senior co-principal investigator. “Through the NIST project, Florida Tech will take another step forward in bridging the gap between academia and industry, thereby fostering a culture of innovation and driving economic growth through applied research and workforce development.”
The NIST project will be managed by a dedicated, interdisciplinary team from various academic and administrative units. Joining Subasi and Kiss from the Office of the Provost are co-principal investigators Ryan White, Siddhartha Bhattacharyya and Philip Bernhard from the College of Engineering and Science and Scott Ferguson and Curtis Robinson from Information Technology.
