Meharry’s School of Applied Computational Sciences (SACS) will soon develop three short-term certificates in AI, cybersecurity and bioinformatics thanks to a $ 2 million Department of Education grant – Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.
The four-year grant funds the “Meharry FutureTech” program. This initiative will launch three 12 to 15 week, nine-credit-hour graduate certificates: AI and data analytics for health systems; cybersecurity for health and medical data; and bioinformatics and genomics data foundations.
“These online certificates will include advising, tutoring, and support for work-based and employer-mentored learning for each participant,” said Dean Fortune S. Mhlanga, Ph.D., the grant’s principal investigator. “Their coursework can also count toward one of our master’s or doctoral programs should they wish to continue on that path.”
The project aims to serve working adults eligible for Pell Grants, early-career professionals and those looking to switch careers or advance in health technology. Special attention will be given to residents of rural or medically underserved areas, as well as those connected to Meharry, Fisk University, Tennessee State University and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities or minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
SACS will record employer skill requirements in a “FutureTech Skills Record” to ensure the curriculum meets long-term workforce demands. Additionally, the school will share a replication package with other HBCUs, MSIs and their partners to expand the grant’s impact. The FutureTech program certificates will be led by Sajid Hussain, Ph.D., chair and professor of computer science and data science, Aize Cao, Ph.D., chair and professor of biomedical data science, Asmah Muallem, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science and data science, Firdous Kausar, Ph.D., assistant professor of cybersecurity, and Benu Bansai, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical data science.
