Research Centers and Labs EECS

DoD Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (CoE-AIML)
Director: Dr. Danda B. Rawat

The DoD Center of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning (CoE-AIML) was created with the aim to explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in mission-critical civilian applications and multi-domain operations. The CoE-AIML team is conducting strategic research and workforce development projects to transform AI/ML through trustworthy, reliable, explainable, fair, robust and secure ML algorithms and AI systems while expanding diverse commercial, scientific, and DoD/government uses of AI/ML. A core element of the CoE-AIML mission is to train and graduate next generation ML and AI experts to meet the nation’s growing defense needs. 

The center serves as a trusted resource for all stakeholders in AI/ML research and education to develop new technologies and policy options for AI/ML use. 

Data Science and Cybersecurity Center (DSC2)
Director: Dr. Danda B. Rawat

The Data Science and Cybersecurity Center (DSC2) was formed as part of a new initiative at Howard University to create a world-class center for cybersecurity, cyber-event forecasting, cyber-actor behavior understanding, threat intelligence, threat modeling and analysis, cyber resiliency and defense, and data science. This initiative begins with a collaborative cohort of researchers drawn from multiple disciplines to solving the most critical problems related to cybersecurity and data science. It leads and promotes the mission of the College of Engineering and Architecture - to provide faculty and students the opportunity to work on contemporary technological innovation related to cybersecurity that mirrors today’s industry and society.

Center for Energy Systems and Control (CESaC)
Director: Dr. James Momoh

The Center for Energy Systems and Control (CESaC) is an interdisciplinary Research and Education Center at Howard University that is aimed at pioneering research in electric energy systems and control, power, environment, economics and energy markets for terrestrial, space, and off-shore energy systems. The mission of the Center is to engage in research associated with the totality of energy systems and control and develop 21st Century leadership in the development of Efficient and Reliable Infrastructure using state of the art technology.

Howard Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facility (HNF)
Director: Formerly Dr. Gary Harris

The Howard Nanoscale Science and Engineering Facility (HNF) is a state-of-the-art nanotechnology center with laboratories open to academia, small and large industry and government for nanoscience research, engineering and product development. At HNF the goal is to assist users in the research, development and manufacturing of quality nanotechnology that is pollution-free, standards-compliant and environmentally friendly. The mission of the facility is to provide research experience for undergraduate students, research experience for teachers, and nano education to students and the community at-large.

Motion Control and Drives Laboratory
Director: Dr. Ahmed Rubaai

The Motion Control and Drives Laboratory specialize in experimental research in real-time software/hardware systems and control in a broad range of industrial systems applications. The lab supports undergraduate/graduate education and research in hardware-in- the-loop simulation and rapid prototyping, real-time computing software/hardware systems, advanced modeling and control techniques, digital controller prototyping, intelligent and learning control systems, variable frequency power electronic motor drives, with an emphasis on emerging applications in areas ranging from robotics, mechatronics, intelligent structures, renewable energy and smart grid, factory automation, motion control business, building automation and smart homes, power system automation and SCADA, and research applications related to Homeland Defense.

Electromagnetic Imaging and Modeling Laboratory (EMM)
Director: Dr. John M. M. Anderson

EMM is focused on the problem of detecting land mines and improvised explosive devices using forward looking ground penetrating radar. The EMM Laboratory team members are developing new algorithms for reconstructing radar images and improved modeling methods for determining certain material properties of potential targets within a scene-of- interest. The Army Research Office and Army Research Laboratory are supporting the activities of the EMM Laboratory.

Affective Biometrics Laboratory
Director: Dr. Gloria Washington

In the Affective Biometrics Laboratory, research is performed on how human emotion and/or identity can be recognized through the use of physical or behavioral characteristics including heart rate, skin temperature and sweat pores, brain waves, and body language gathered from images, video, and biological sensors.

Embedded Systems Security Laboratory
 

In the Embedded Systems Security Laboratory, the research and teaching laboratory explores the relationships between safety and security in the context of real-time embedded systems with a specific focus on cyber-physical systems.

Computational Biology and Algorithms Laboratory
Directors: Dr. Chunmei Liu and Dr. Legand Burge

The Computational Biology and Algorithms Laboratory works on designing algorithms for biological problems, as well as on theoretical computer science and graph algorithm studies.

Computer Networks and Distributed Systems Laboratory
Directors: Dr. Jiang Li and Dr. Legand Burge

The Computer Networks and Distributed Systems Laboratory studies various cutting-edge topics in computer networks (such as cognition-based networks) as well as the deployment and use issues of distributed software/hardware systems. Both theoretical and experimental aspects are taken into consideration. Collaboration is done with other research groups on cross cutting problems such as network security.

Software Engineering Laboratory
Directors: Dr. Peter Keiller and Dr. Harry Keeling

The Software Engineering Laboratory research group focuses on how to analyze, design, build, test, and maintain safe and reliable software systems. The group has published extensively in international software engineering journals and conferences. Group members work on a very broad research base which includes, research into embedded and real-time systems, communications, databases, software design techniques, user interfaces and human-computer interaction, distributed systems engineering, software measurement and quality, software testing, software processes, reuse, requirements engineering, and software tools.

Cybersecurity and Wireless Networking Innovations Laboratory (CWiNS)
Director: Dr. Danda B. Rawat

The mission of the CWiNS lab is to advance the state-of-the-art technologies in cybersecurity and wireless networks for emerging networked cyber physical systems (smart grid, transportation, Internet of Things, UAV). The CWiNS group engages in fundamental research as well as applied research. The CWiNS lab provides a diverse and rich educational and research environment promoting interdisciplinary research projects. The CWiNS lab also serves as a diverse and rich educational center serving the students of the university as well as its region.

Signal Processing and Communication Laboratory

Hardware Design Lab
Director: Dr. Michaela E. Amoo

The Hardware Design Lab is a 690 ft2 facility located on the 3rd floor of the L.K. Downing Building at 2300 6th St in the District of Columbia. The focus is application specific FPGA-design for a variety of applications including autonomous platforms, controls, and quantum information science and engineering (QISE). The lab has six custom-designed workstations, each featuring a Dell Precision Workstation with multi-core Xeon Processors, Agilent/Keysight arbitrary wave form generator (AWG), function generator, oscilloscope, multimeters, and variable power supplies, in addition to a tool kit, solder station, and Panavise circuit board holder. Licensed software packages include Xilinx (Vivado Design Suite, XSDK, ISE), Mentor Graphics ModelSim PE, Intel (Quartus Prime PRO, FPGA SDK), Mathworks (Matlab & Simulink).

State-of-the-art equipment includes Xilinx Virtex UltraScale FPGA VCU110 development boards, Intel Stratix 10 MX FPGAs, Xilinx SoC Zed Boards, Xilinx Artix-7 FPGA-XC7A100T development boards, and Intel TerAsic DE1-SoC development boards. Older FPGA boards include Xilinx Virtex 4. The lab also boasts a range of Intel RealSense depth and tracking cameras, TFMINI Micro LIDAR, Sharp InfraRed sensors, and a 3D systems Capture Laser scanner for rapid-prototyping.