Harnessing AI

As the influence of artificial intelligence expands across society, TXST faculty members are researching and employing AI in wide-ranging applications that reflect the technology’s growing ubiquity.

Consider the work of Dr. Tahir Ekin, a professor and the Fields Chair for the Department of Information Systems and Analytics in the McCoy College of Business. Ekin has harnessed data science and AI to work on challenges such as healthcare fraud, national security, and financial risk management.

“AI is transforming everything from healthcare and education to business and government,” Ekin says. “As we stand on the cusp of this revolution, it’s vital that Texas State University leads the charge in understanding and shaping AI's impact. By conducting cutting-edge research, we are not only preparing our students for the future but also ensuring that we harness AI’s power responsibly, with a focus on innovation, ethics, and societal benefit.”

Ekin directs the Center for Analytics and Data Science (CADS), which TXST launched in 2023 to serve as a hub for interdisciplinary analytics, data science, and AI research. More than 20 faculty members from seven colleges make up the CADS research team, which conducts work in fields ranging from public health and safety to computer science, agriculture, and transportation.

In 2024, CADS issued its inaugural Catalyst Research Awards, providing funds and tailored research support services to AI projects across the university.

The center is also dedicated to AI training and has begun developing training programs and AI literacy modules to support faculty and students. In 2023, the National Science Foundation awarded TXST a $400,000 grant as part of its Expanding AI Innovation through Capacity Building and Partnerships program.

The project will help build a skilled workforce capable of advancing AI technologies while addressing ethical, societal, and technical challenges. Along with Ekin, it’s co-led by Dr. Jelena Tesic, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science; Dr. Damian Valles Molina, an associate professor of electrical engineering; Dr. Apan Qasem, a professor of computer science; and Dr. Lucia Summers, an associate professor of criminal justice.

For his part, Ekin first began using AI tools when working with government entities to tackle healthcare fraud. With statistical and data mining efforts, he helped uncover potential fraud patterns by checking healthcare claims.

Currently, Ekin is working on an Air Force-funded project to make its AI models more secure in the face of adversarial machine learning and AI. The grant, worth just over $200,000, focuses on minimizing the effects of saboteurs who may target AI systems by altering data and model inputs, which can create dangerous responses in AI programs.

“My objective is to understand the potential attacks against different types of artificial intelligence algorithms and how we can improve the strength of the basic AI algorithms,” Ekin explains.

Alongside Ekin, the Center for Analytics and Data Science features a diverse team of Texas State researchers who are driving AI innovation across multiple disciplines. Here are a few examples:

Tesic, a specialist in network science, data science, and computer vision, led the Applied AI School during the summer of 2024. The school equips researchers outside of STEM disciplines with the competencies needed for data exploration and to leverage AI for meaningful data analysis. This summer attracted over 20 participants from five colleges across the university, and the instructional team included two Ph.D. students and three undergraduates from the computer science department.

Valles Molina is working to develop an advanced AI system of rovers and drones designed to help first responders navigate fires in multistory buildings by detecting heat signatures, human screams, and toxic gases. He also leads the CADS High Performance Computing School and support programs.

Dr. Subasish Das, assistant professor of civil engineering, has applied AI to transportation with his work to improve the safety of connected and automated vehicles by enhancing their deep learning tools. In 2022, he published the book Artificial Intelligence in Highway Safety.

With CADS, Ekin aims to position Texas State University as a leader in AI research and education in a world of ever-evolving technological advances.

“One thing I always recommend to my students is you can’t stand still,” Ekin says. “It’s not like you learn something and then you can build a career over it for the rest of your life. Problems and solutions keep changing. AI itself also helps with that dynamic structure—everyone should be open to lifelong learning.”