Mary Yang - News - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Graduate Discovers New Calling at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Tue, 14 May 2024 13:05:24 +0000

After studying computer science as an undergraduate student in Nigeria, Anulika Nwashili was intrigued by the prospect of participating in the cutting-edge research taking place at the at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock.

“I had heard about COSMOS, and it was such a great opportunity,” she said. “Social computing was a new perspective on an application of computer science. COSMOS research focuses on misinformation, toxicity, and the social media space. I knew I could apply that knowledge to make sure the lives of people on social media are protected. On the other hand, I also heard about the bioinformatics program, and I thought it would be a great opportunity to work with the amazing people in the field.”

In 2022, Nwashili moved to the United States to pursue a Master of Science in Bioinformatics. She graduated during the spring semester with a perfect 4.o GPA at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, where she has experienced much personal growth during her graduate school experience.

“I’ve enjoyed meeting with other international students and people from other parts of the world,” she said. “When it comes to merging schoolwork and research, this has been such a growth process for me. I never thought that I would research these areas. I have grown in terms of work and research and school and building core principles like hard work and resilience.”

As a data research analyst at COSMOS, she has investigated the impact of bots on toxicity in X discussions about the South China Sea as well as analyzed COVID-19 discussions about Uyghur women on X, which led to new insights into the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

As a student researcher in the Center for Molecular Design and Development, Nwashili has been researching novel drug treatments for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). Her research aims to develop more effective ALS drugs by modifying existing drug molecules that have proven to be effective in previous research.

Nwashili presented this research at three conferences this spring, and she received the People’s Choice Poster Award after presenting her research at the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Technical Research Exhibition in Atlanta.

“I had a really great experience presenting my research at NSBE,” Nwashili said. “It was my second time presenting at a conference, and it was fun to communicate with different people and share my research in a positive way. We received the People’s Choice Award, which is a huge highlight for me and puts our chapter on the map.”

She credits Dr. Nitin Agarwal, director of COSMOS, Dr. Mary Yang, director of the Bioinformatics program, Dr. Jerry Darsey, director of the Center for Molecular Design and Development, and her fellow students in COSMOS for helping her be successful in obtaining her graduate degree. Now she is excited about taking the next step in her future.

“It feels good to come this far and see this as a milestone,” Nwashili said. “The entire journey of two years here is where the beauty lies. I am so grateful for the journey and how far I’ve come. Graduation is a testament to that journey and everyone who helped me along the way. I am so excited about what the future holds. I know for a fact there are greater things to come, and it can only get better.”

After graduation, Nwashili is looking forward to a career in biotechnology and pharmaceutics.

“I definitely want to contribute to a pharmaceutical company,” she said. “My research in drug discovery is dear to me, and being able to get that industry experience would be great for me.”

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Yang Will Highlight Research During Arkansas Research Alliance Talk

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 13:12:42 +0000

Dr. Mary Yang, professor of information science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, will be featured in the next Arkansas Research Academy (ARA) Project Scope Wednesday, April 24.

ARA Project Scope, a monthly webinar sponsored by ARA, invites members of the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows to share their latest research with the public. The one-hour webinar is free and open to everyone with a curiosity for science and discovery.

Yang will discuss both her research insights and her efforts to provide more qualified scientists to meet the growing need for bioinformatics expertise in Arkansas. The talk will begin at 11 a.m. April 24, via Zoom. Those who would like to attend can register .

“Thanks to advanced sequencing technologies that quite literally map the entire genome, the amount of biological and clinical data generated in the past decade is overwhelming,” Yang said. “Obtaining and collecting data isn’t the limiting factor anymore; extrapolating meaningful, useful information from the data is the challenge the scientific community faces. We need individuals with the skills necessary to parse and interpret this growing mountain of data. Bioinformatics not only grants us a far better understanding of the world, it has become a major industry – one that Arkansas is poised to lead.”

Yang was named a fellow of the Arkansas Research Alliance Academy in 2023. ARA fellowships recognize scientists and engineers who reside at a university or institution in Arkansas for their ongoing, exemplary contributions to the state’s core research focus areas. Each fellow receives a $75,000 grant to advance their research vision.

Also serving as director of MidSouth Bioinformatics Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Yang received her bachelor’s degree in engineering and physics from Hunan University, followed by a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a Master of Science in Experimental Solid State Physics, and a Ph.D. in Computational Science and Physics from Purdue University. She completed her postdoctoral training in human genomics and bioinformatics at the National Human Genome Research Institute and conducted research as a research fellow at the same institution from 2008 to 2012.

Yang has also worked as a professional engineer in software engineering at Shenzhen Electronic Industry and Trade Co. from 1992 to 1995. She has certifications in NIH Post Doctor Completion, Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Graduate Studies and Research from John Hopkins University. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Association for Computing Machinery, Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society, and MidSouth Computational Biology and Bioinformatics Society.

She has received numerous awards for her academic and research achievements, including NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards, the Engineering and Information Technology Faculty Excellence Award in Research, Innovative Research-Education Integration Award from the American Council on Science and Education, Best Research Paper Awards, and Outstanding Tutorial Education Awards from various conferences and societies.

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��Vlog��ý Little Rock Graduate Gets Second Chance at Dream Career

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 14:51:06 +0000

A University of Arkansas at Little Rock graduate is getting a second chance at his dream career in the field of computer science.

Brandon Huckaby, a native of Horatio who now lives in Little Rock, will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a second chance to get the career he’s always dreamed of.

The first time around, Huckaby attended Henderson State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, but he never actually used that degree in his career.

“After getting that degree, I started working in data analytics,” Huckaby said. “It was when I hit about 30 that I realized I liked working with computers. Why don’t I go back and get a proper education in computer science? I got a job in data engineering. I did everything backward. I had the job, but I didn’t have the educational framework.”

So Huckaby joined ��Vlog��ý Little Rock in 2021 as a part-time student. After three semesters, he found it difficult to work full time and maintain his schoolwork.

“When I decided to come back to school, I was coming here to ace it, work hard, and do my best,” Huckaby said. “I was really having to juggle a lot. My wife Amy very generously encouraged me to take a break from full-time work and focus on academia. I don’t know of very many people who would support their spouses in quitting their very lucrative full-time job in order to chase a dream, however much of an investment that dream may be, but she did. She understood how much getting an education in computer science and a second chance in academia meant to me and pushed me to go for it.”

Coming back as a full-time student in 2022 gave Huckaby time for new opportunities, such as working as a research assistant for Dr. Mary Yang, a professor of information science. Yang has been working on a research project involving single cell RNA sequencing, and Huckaby has been testing computer programs developed by her doctoral students and setting up the GitHub repository which hosts the program code and sample datasets.

He is also thankful to Dr. Aryabrata Basu and Dr. Iván Rodríguez-Conde, computer science professors, who encouraged him to go to graduate school and pursue research in the Emerging Analytics Center.

“Brandon has been an energetic and productive member of his Capstone Project team,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “The project requires development of a web application supporting the entry of data for, and the subsequent visualization of, employer genealogies and employees. The graphic representation developed by Brandon’s team required mastering of the technical aspects of utilization of a graphics library and the creative design of a graphic representation of underlying directed graph of employer and employee information. The point of that detail is that we can be confident that Brandon will be a valued contributing member of any organization fortunate enough to retain his services.”

His classes have led to some interesting projects. One of his favorite projects was a team project in an artificial intelligence class with Professor Mariofanna Milanova with classmates Dako Albeik and Luka Woodson.

“I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dako and Luka, and our semester project was a neural network that we designed and trained to play the card game Spades,” Huckaby said. “That further inflamed my interests.”

In January, Huckaby will begin the graduate program in computer science and will work as a graduate assistant in the Emerging Analytics Center.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity, and I want to dig deep,” he said. “In going to graduate school, I’ll be trying to see what the world of research and working in a lab is all about. In coming back to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, I feel like I’ve been able to take academia seriously and find something I’m passionate about.”

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Yang Inducted into Arkansas Research Alliance Academy

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 17:44:43 +0000

Dr. Mary Yang, professor of information science at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, has joined an elite group of state scientists and academics as she was inducted into the on Aug. 10.

“I am very excited to join the ARA Academy and deeply grateful for this opportunity,” Yang said. “I look forward to collaborating with ARA on research initiatives that benefit Arkansas and contribute to the advancement of knowledge.”

Highlighted by a special welcome and recognition from Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the ARA welcomed Yang and six new members to the ARA Academy of Scholars and Fellows, the largest class in ARA’s 15-year history, during a ceremony in the Governor’s Conference Room in the Arkansas State Capitol Building. The ceremony expanded the membership to 34 research scientists and engineers working across six institutions in Arkansas, which include the five research universities and the state’s largest federal lab.

“This is a very exciting day in our state to have the opportunity to recognize some of the best and brightest in research, not just in Arkansas but in the country,” Gov. Huckabee Sanders said. “We are so excited about what this organization does, and we have the opportunity to highlight these individuals. Not only do each of these individuals contribute a significant amount when it comes to research in the state, but most of them are also professors in the classroom. I know first-hand what a difference a quality, top notch professor can make.”

ARA fellowships recognize scientists and engineers who reside at a university or institution in Arkansas for their ongoing, exemplary contributions to the state’s core research focus areas. Each fellow receives a $75,000 grant to advance their research vision.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor Christina Drale, left, and other participants and honorees applaud Mary Yang, ��Vlog��ý Little Rock professor of Bioinformatics and Genomics, center left, during an Arkansas Research Alliance Academy of Scholars and Fellows induction ceremony held at the State Capitol Building. Photo by Benjamin Krain.

“Arkansas’s opportunities in the knowledge economy depend on a talented research workforce,” said Bryan Barnhouse, president and CEO of ARA. “The ARA Academy represents the vanguard of intellectual capital that helps the entire state be more globally competitive. The seven new members added today help our state reach its fullest potential through their creativity, vision, and collaboration.”

Yang was among a cohort of seven new academics to join the ARA Academy, including John Imig of ��Vlog��ýMS, Antino Allen of ��Vlog��ýMS, Heather Nachtmann of the University of Arkansas, Igor Pogribny of U.S. FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Grace Ramena of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and Jianfeng Xu of Arkansas State University.

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Yang Named Arkansas Research Alliance Fellow

Thu, 04 May 2023 14:04:49 +0000

Dr. Mary Yang, professor of information science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, has been named a fellow of the .

The ARA Academy was founded in 2016 to facilitate meaningful collaboration among some of the most prolific research leaders in Arkansas. The ARA Academy meets each year for face-to- face interaction, often leading to partnerships beneficial to the fields of science critical to the advancement.

“Each ARA Scholar and Fellow is a research powerhouse in their own right,” said Bryan Barnhouse, president and CEO of ARA. “Combined in partnership with the state and the researchers’ host institutions, the ARA Academy represents a collaborative juggernaut of research talent pursuing bold, interdisciplinary ideas to support statewide economic development.”

Also serving as director of MidSouth Bioinformatics Center at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Yang received her bachelor’s degree in engineering and physics from Hunan University, followed by a Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, a Master of Science in Experimental Solid State Physics, and a Ph.D. in Computational Science and Physics from Purdue University. She completed her postdoctoral training in human genomics and bioinformatics at the National Human Genome Research Institute and conducted research as a Research Fellow at the same institution from 2008 to 2012.

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Mary Yang - News - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock