Dr. Kristen “Brent” Venable, professor and director of the intelligent systems and robotics doctoral program at the University of West Florida, has received a $100,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate (AFRL/RW) through the University Day program. The one-year award will advance cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, while also providing valuable hands-on experience for UWF doctoral students.
- “We are excited for this opportunity to collaborate with AFRL/RW and are confident that it will serve as the first step toward a long-term, fruitful research partnership, positioning UWF as a research partner of choice,” Venable said.
The project research team will focus on designing and implementing multi-agent environments and learning algorithms to enable efficient, decentralized strategies in multi-phase operational scenarios. In everyday terms, this means creating advanced computer simulations where multiple agents — such as robots, drones or software systems — can learn how to work together without needing constant instructions. By training them to coordinate in complex, step-by-step missions, this project aims to develop technologies that could one day support real-world operations like disaster response, search and rescue or reconnaissance.
- “UWF is proud of our collaboration with AFRL/RW and of the contributions of our students and faculty to the cutting-edge research conducted there,” said Dr. Mohamed Khabou, dean of the Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering and professor.
The project will also support two ISR Ph.D. students, Raffaele Galliera and Alessandro Amato. The students will play a key role in designing mission environments and specifications, while also leveraging cutting-edge machine learning techniques to train agents to collaborate in accomplishing complex missions such as reconnaissance.
The Department of Intelligent Systems and Robotics at UWF is dedicated to advancing research in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-robot interaction and autonomous systems. By engaging students in high-impact research experiences, the program prepares graduates to contribute to rapidly evolving fields that support national defense and technological innovation.
For more information about the UWF Intelligent Systems and Robotics, visit uwf.edu/isr.
