Full award

Luyang Fang, Ph.D. candidate in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences Department of Statistics, develops innovative machine learning algorithms that improve the efficiency and reliability of large language models. Under the mentorship of professors Ping Ma and Wenxuan Zhong, she has pioneered Bayesian Knowledge Distillation (BKD), an advanced method for compressing AI models while quantifying uncertainty in their predictions—critical for deploying AI in healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems. Fang has published in top venues such as the International Conference on Machine Learning and IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, and her BKD framework has been applied to computer vision and education assessment. She also co-developed MultiCOP, a machine learning tool for microbiome-metabolome analysis, and collaborates on AI-driven research across multiple disciplines. A recipient of multiple Georgia Statistics Day awards, Fang’s work helps shape the future of trustworthy AI and statistical machine learning.

Honorable mention

Aiman Munir, Ph.D. candidate in the School of Computing, develops advanced algorithms for robotics and multi-robot systems, focusing on energy-efficient informative path planning (IPP) and task coordination in GPS-denied environments. Under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Ramviyas Nattanmai Parasuraman, she has pioneered novel approaches to IPP and coverage control, optimizing how robots explore unknown environments while conserving energy. Her research has led to multiple peer-reviewed publications in top robotics conferences and has applications in precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, and search-and-rescue operations. Munir’s energy-aware coordination framework improves robot performance in resource-limited settings. She received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the School of Computing and has contributed to open-source robotics research. Munir’s work looks to the future of autonomous systems, enhancing their efficiency, adaptability, and real-world applications.