Rosny Jean, Ph.D., an assistant professor of geospatial and environmental analysis in FAMU’s School of the Environment, has been awarded a $321,000 subaward from the Office of Naval Research to support student research in geospatial science, artificial intelligence, and marine mapping—part of a broader national effort to build a skilled and diverse STEM workforce prepared to address environmental and national security challenges.
The two-year grant, allocated under Purdue University’s $9.89 million Office of Naval Research Blue Integrated Partnership (BIP 2.0) initiative, will fund research assistantships, coastal fieldwork, and computational training for FAMU students. The project aims to equip them with technical expertise in areas such as AI-enabled marine sensing and nearshore mapping.
Jean's work will include existing collaborations with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, R.I., where he developed the SHIP-AID algorithm, which uses deep learning to detect underwater hazards.
“This partnership creates tremendous opportunities for our students to work on real-world problems that matter,” Dr. Jean said. “Whether they are engaged in geospatial science applications, ocean modeling, or advanced machine learning algorithms, our students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in defense innovation and environmental intelligence.”
The award reflects FAMU’s continued investment in expanding experiential learning and strengthening ties with federal agencies. University officials emphasized the importance of providing students with pathways into high-demand STEM fields through meaningful research partnerships.
“This project places our students at the intersection of data, environment, and national priorities,” a university spokesperson said. “By engaging in applied research alongside federal and academic partners, they develop the skills and perspective required to solve complex problems beyond the classroom.”
The grant will support student training and collaborative research within a national consortium of institutions, further establishing FAMU as an emerging contributor in the fields of geospatial science and defense-related environmental research.