University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science | 2025 Dean's Report - Flipbook - Page 14
HIGHLIGHTING
GRADUATE
STUDENT RESEARCH
LYNN PICKERING
MAKING AI MORE EXPLAINABLE, TRUSTWORTHY
Lynn Pickering came to the University of
is a computer decision-making process that
Cincinnati with an interest in aerospace
relies on degrees of truth rather than a binary
3
GIBIN RAJU
engineering and desire for studying abroad.
true-false dichotomy, like that of humans.
As an undergraduate student, she began
The goal is that by taking advantage of the
conducting research in the 昀椀eld of fuzzy logic
imprecision of the real world and enabling
RESEARCH AIMS TO IMPROVE
HOW ENGINEERING IS TAUGHT
and arti昀椀cial intelligence with Professor Kelly
AI to think more like humans, it will be more
After earning a master’s degree in aerospace
Cohen which completely changed her higher
trustworthy and explainable. Pickering has
engineering at UC, Gibin Raju joined the
education and career trajectory. Her passion
spent years as a co-op student working and
doctoral program in engineering education,
for research led her to continue at CEAS for
studying in Germany, was a visiting doctoral
combining his passions for engineering and
her doctoral studies in aerospace engineer-
student researcher at Coventry University in
teaching to improve STEM education. Working
ing, working to create an AI structure that is
England, and worked closely with researchers
with Sheryl Sorby, professor of engineering
fair, usable, and understandable for humans.
studying explainable AI at Ghent University
education, his research delves into the connection
in Belgium as a Fulbright Fellow. Her
between spatial visualization and engineering
Without providing reasoning behind its
experience at UC has opened a world of
design skills of undergraduate students, with an
decisions, AI cannot be trusted to be unbiased.
opportunities, including being featured
objective to improve students’ spatial abilities.
Fuzzy logic, the heart of Pickering’s research,
on the Science Channel’s “Impossible
He uses biomarkers like eye-tracking and
Engineering” series, pictured above.
electrodermal activity to understand how
students solve problems and if they were
stressed during the process. He earned his
Ph.D. in 2024.
