Another game changer at UWF

The University of West Florida and Institute for Human and Machine Cognition have partnered to develop a doctoral program in intelligent systems and robotics. The program will be the first of its kind in Florida and one of only a few in the nation.

Calling the doctoral program a “game changer,” UWF President Martha D. Saunders said, “The program brings together the strengths of UWF engineering and computer science programs with the expertise of a world-class research center, IHMC.”

The program will begin Fall 2019 and aligns with UWF’s strategic vision for research that impacts Northwest Florida’s economic development and technology enterprise. It will serve the manufacturing, health care, defense and other high-tech industries, providing critical support to high-demand career fields.

“I’ve envisioned a program like this for a long time,” said Ken Ford, director and co-founder of IHMC. “It will attract top young talent from the world. This is such a great move not only for UWF and IHMC, but also for Pensacola and the state.”

A not-for-profit research institute of the State University System, IHMC is a pioneer of technologies aimed at extending human capabilities through a unique approach combining computer science, cognitive psychology, neuroscience, engineering, medical sciences and related disciplines.

“The national demand for experts in intelligent systems and robotics is large, yet universities and technology firms such as Google, Microsoft and Amazon struggle to find people with the expertise and skills their organizations need,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, interim program director. “In a Spring 2018 survey of UWF engineering and computer science students, 66 percent of the 149 respondents indicated their interest in this new program.”

The program will attract talented students from around the world, as it will be one of only a few in the nation, joining institutions like Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh and Georgia Institute of Technology.

“The groundbreaking program will focus solely on research and build upon our excellent computer science and engineering program,” said, Dr. Jaromy Kuhl, interim dean of the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. “Students will flourish by learning from award-winning IHMC scientists, and graduates will be highly competitive in a job market with a growing demand for experts in intelligent systems and robotics.”

Dr. Kuhl added. “UWF and IHMC will educate the next generation of researchers to develop innovative technology that combines human and machine elements.”