MeettheTeam
Dr.AlfredWatkins
Dr.AlfredWatkinsisanAssistantProfessorof ComputerScienceatMorehouseCollegeandcurrently servesastheInterimSeniorDirectoroftheAtlanta UniversityCenter(AUC)DataScienceInitiative.He bringsastrongbackgroundineducation,student engagement,interdisciplinaryresearch,andstrategic collaboration4spanningbothacademicandindustry contexts.
AtMorehouseCollege,Dr.Watkinsledthedevelopment andinstitutionalapprovalofthecollege'sDataScience Minor,positioningMorehouseasaleaderamongHBCUs inpreparingstudentsfordata-drivencareers.Hiswork reflectsadeepcommitmenttoexpandingequitable accesstodatascienceeducationandequipping studentswiththeskillsneededtosucceedinarapidly evolvingdigitaleconomyanddata-drivenworld.
InterimDirector,AUCDataScienceInitiative
AsInterimSeniorDirector,Dr.WatkinsguidestheAUCDataScienceInitiativeinitsmissiontobuildadiversepipeline ofdata-literateprofessionals.HisleadershipadvancestheInitiative'sstrategicgoals,whichincludefostering educationalexcellence,enhancingstudentsuccess,increasingresearchimpact,supportingfacultydevelopment, strengtheningcommunityengagement,andensuringlong-termprogramsustainability.
Dr.WatkinshaspreviouslyservedontheAUCDataScienceFacultyCouncilandcontinuestoplayavitalroleinshaping thevisionandimpactofdatascienceeducationacrosstheAUCConsortium.
Dr.IvisReneeKing
Dr.IvisReneeKingisanAssociateProfessorof SocialWorkatClarkAtlantaUniversityandthe DeputyDirectoroftheAtlantaUniversityCenter (AUC)DataScienceInitiative(DSI).Inthisrole,she co-leadsstrategiceffortstointegratedatascience acrossdisciplines,withaparticularfocusonequitycenteredapproachesinsocialworkeducation.
Dr.KingisamemberoftheAUCDataScience EducationWorkingGroupandservesontheDSI FacultyAdvisoryBoard.Shehasbeeninstrumental inembeddingdatascienceintoundergraduateand graduatesocialworkcourses,includingthe developmentofIssuesinChildWelfarewithData ScienceandDataScienceinChildWelfare.Sheis alsoaco-designeroftheinterdisciplinarycourse DataandtheAfricanDiaspora,whichconnectsdata scienceconceptswithculturallygroundedanalysis andapplications.
DeputyDirector,AUCDataScienceInitiative
AsaninstructorintheAUCPre-FreshmanExperience(PFx)summerprogram,Dr.Kingmentorsstudentteams conductingresearchprojectssuchasUsingDatatoAdvocateforHealthJustice:ExploringHealth-RelatedDatafor ChildreninFosterCareandKeepingCommunitiesSafeThroughData:Post-InterventionChildWelfare.Shehasalso servedasafacultymentorfortheCAUProvost'sSummerDataScienceEducationResearchProgramandtheNational AfricanAmericanChildandFamilyResearchCenter'sUndergraduateEmergingScholarsProgram.
AcertifiedCarpentriesInstructor,Dr.KingteachescorecompetenciesinDataCarpentryandSoftwareCarpentry, contributingtothebroadergoalofdiversifyingthedatascienceworkforce.SheisthePrincipalInvestigatorforthe NationalScienceFoundation(NSF)IUSEgranttitledIntegratingDataScienceintoUndergraduateSocialWork Education.
Dr.KingearnedherPh.D.fromClarkAtlantaUniversity,herM.S.W.fromGeorgiaStateUniversity,andherB.A.in PsychologyfromFortValleyStateUniversity.
Dr.EboniDotson
Dr.EboniDotsonservesastheinauguralAssistantDirectorof HBCUEngagementfortheAtlantaUniversityCenter(AUC)Data ScienceInitiative,arolesheassumedinDecember2024. Additionally,sheisanAdjunctProfessoratMorehouseSchoolof Medicine.InherroleasAssistantDirector,sheleadsproject designandimplementationoffacultyandstudentprogramsthat fosterinterdisciplinarycollaboration,supportinnovative pedagogy,andpreparestudentsforsuccessindata-intensive fields.
Dr.Dotsonplanningandimplementationexperiencetoadvancingdatascienceeducationandfacultydevelopmentfor facultyattheAUCmemberinstitutes.Throughherwork,Dr.DotsonensuresthatAUCeducatorsandlearnersare equippedwiththeskills,tools,andsupportneededtoleadinadata-drivenworld.
Dr.C.EmmanuelLittle
Dr.C.EmmanuelLittleservesastheinauguralAssistant DirectorofIndustryEngagementfortheAtlantaUniversity Center(AUC)DataScienceInitiative,aroleheassumedinJune 2024.Inthiscapacity,Dr.Littleleadseffortstobridgethegap betweendatascienceindustryleadersandHistoricallyBlack CollegesandUniversities(HBCUs),workingtoexpand equitablepathwaysintodatasciencecareersfor underrepresentedstudents.
Dr.Little'sprofessionalandscholarlyworkcentersonadvancingeducationalequityanddismantlingsystemicbarriers thataffecthistoricallymarginalizedcommunities,particularlyBlackcommunities.Hebringsmorethanadecadeof experienceinhighereducationandnonprofitleadership,andhehaspresentedhisworkatnumerousnationaland statewideconferences.Inrecognitionofhistransformativecontributionstodiversity,equity,inclusion,belonging,and justice,hewasnamedoneofProvenBase's"Top100DEILeaders"in2023.
AnativeofMacon,Georgia,Dr.Littleisascholar-practitionerwhoseworkisrootedincommunity,creativity,and justice.HeearnedhisPh.D.inHigherEducationfromtheUniversityofGeorgiain2018,followingearlierdegreesfrom GeorgiaCollege4aB.A.inMassCommunications(2007)andaMasterofPublicAdministration(2010).
AdrienneAvery
AdrienneAveryservesastheProgramCoordinatorforFaculty DevelopmentattheAtlantaUniversityCenter(AUC)Data ScienceInitiative.Inthisrole,shesupportsthedesignand implementationofprogramsforAUCfacultytointegratedata scienceintotheirteaching,research,andinstitutionalpractices.
SheholdsaMaster'sdegreeinCommunicationStudiesandaBachelor'sdegreefromtheUniversityofNorthCarolina system,havingstudiedatbothWesternCarolinaUniversityandUNC-Greensboro.ShealsoearnedaMasterof EducationinEducationalLeadershipfromKennesawStateUniversity.
Dr.AshleyScruse
Dr.AshleyScruseisaproudalumnaofClarkAtlanta University,wheresheearnedaB.S.inMathematical Sciences.ShewentontocompleteherPh.D.in BioinformaticsattheUniversityofGeorgia,whereher researchfocusedongeneduplicationnetworksusing mathematics,statistics,andcombinatorics.
NowservingasaFacultyFellowintheComputerScience DepartmentatMorehouseCollege,Dr.Scruseworksclosely withMorehouse'sCenterforBroadeningParticipationin ComputingandtheAtlantaUniversityCenter(AUC)Data ScienceInitiative.
Herwork,supportedbyMastercard'sCenterforInclusiveGrowth,focusesondevelopingdatasciencecoursesthat closeskillgapsandpreparestudentsatHBCUsforcareersinartificialintelligence,machinelearning,anddatascience.
Dr.Scruseisalsoexpandingherexpertiseingrantwritingandprogramcoordinationtosupportinitiativesthat increaseaccessandequityinthedatasciencepipeline.Herworkisgroundedinacommitmenttoincreasing representationinSTEMfieldsandequippingstudentswiththetechnicalandanalyticalskillsneededtoleadinadatadrivenworld.
JamalWare
JamalWareservesastheProgramCoordinatorforStudent EngagementattheAtlantaUniversityCenter(AUC)DataScience Initiative,bringingoversixyearsofexperienceinlogisticsplanning, eventexecution,andacademicprogramsupport.Withaportfolio thatincludescollaborationswithprominentorganizationssuchas theGatesFoundation,Microsoft,Google,theU.S.Departmentof Justice,andtheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity,Jamalhasbeen instrumentalinconnectingstudentstocriticalresourcesand opportunities.
Knownforhistalentindesigningimpactful,student-centeredexperiences,Jamalisdrivenbyapassionforbuilding meaningfulrelationshipsthatfosterbothacademicandpost-collegiatesuccess.Hisapproachblendsstrategic coordinationwithadeepcommitmenttoempowerment4ensuringthatstudentshavethetools,access,andsupport neededtothriveineverystageoftheirpersonalandprofessionaljourneys.