NKU leads national effort to advance AI education with NSF grant

May 27, 2025 - Northern Kentucky University is playing a pivotal role in a national initiative aimed at expanding artificial intelligence education thanks to a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Led by NKU faculty members in the College of Informatics, the project is a collaborative, multi-institutional effort coordinated by the Computing Research Association in support of the National AI Research Resource Pilot.

Titled “Capacity and Community for Research-Emerging Institutions with Large Computing Programs”, the initiative will bring together faculty from across the nation to build AI classroom readiness and best practices for AI curriculum development in both undergraduate and graduate coursework.

“This NSF-funded initiative positions NKU at the forefront of shaping the future of AI education,” says Dr. Kevin Kirby, Dean of the College of Informatics. “It will provide valuable resources to help institutions nationwide strengthen their computing programs.”

The initiative also complements NKU’s recently implemented artificial intelligence minor and reinforces the university’s commitment to equipping students with essential skills in computing and emerging technologies. The project will be led by NKU’s Dr. Traian Marius Truta, professor of computer science and director of the School of Computing and Analytics, and co-led by Dr. Junxiu Zhou, assistant professor of computer science and expert in AI, machine learning and computer vision. Other leading institutions including Texas State University, Kennesaw State University and the Computing Research Association will contribute co-principal investigators.

The project will culminate in a report with practical recommendations for integrating AI into academic programs and will be disseminated through the Computing Research Association and its affiliated partners.

For more information about the College of Informatics’ programs and the artificial intelligence minor, visit the NKU website.