Iowa State University's Translational AI Center (TrAC) Launches Advanced AI Curriculum Using Vocareum's Notebook in National Science Foundation (NSF) NAIRR Classroom


SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 17, 2024 - The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Classroom has officially launched, with Iowa State University's Dr. Aditya Balu leveraging the Vocareum AI Notebook to teach foundational AI short courses through the Translational AI Center (TrAC). This initiative marks a significant milestone in the NSF's ongoing efforts to enhance AI education and prepare students for the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

TrAC's micro-credential courses on ML Operations (MLOps), Generative Models, End-to-End Computer Vision, Graph neural networks, Self-Supervised Learning, and Scientific Machine Learning use the Vocareum notebook platform to provide students with hands-on, immersive learning experiences.

"The integration of Vocareum's Notebook with our AI curriculum can transform the way we approach teaching AI concepts. It offers our students a unique opportunity to work with cutting-edge tools in a secure and scalable environment, all while allowing us to maintain complete control over resource management and course content," said Dr. Aditya Balu, Data Scientist at Translational AI Center, Iowa State University.

These courses are part of Iowa State University's initiative for micro-credentials for AI education. Students could take each of these short courses for credit or industry professionals for a course badge. They can then be stacked together to obtain a professional certificate in Translational AI.

Vocareum has been a trusted partner in education, particularly in AI and cloud computing, with its tools now being used by institutions as part of the NSF-led NAIRR project.

"The goal of the NAIRR Classroom pilot is to connect educators and their students to the critical computing and data resources to enable AI education and learning. We are very grateful for Vocareum's contribution and partnership in the NAIRR Pilot," said Katie Antypas, director of the Office of Advanced Cyberinfrastructure at the U.S. National Science Foundation, which is leading the multi-agency, multi-partner NAIRR Pilot.

About Vocareum

Vocareum is the leading provider of AI and cloud-based learning labs, trusted by over 7,000 universities and institutions globally, including AWS Academy, Databricks, and Udacity. At the forefront of educational innovation, Vocareum provides the infrastructure that supports hands-on learning in AI and cloud computing for millions of students worldwide, transforming education through scalable, cloud-based solutions that power the future of learning. For more information, visit: www.vocareum.ai

About TrAC

The Translational AI Center (TrAC) at Iowa State University is a pioneering hub for artificial intelligence research, education, and industry collaboration. With over 65 faculty members from seven colleges, TrAC bridges the gap between cutting-edge AI research and real-world applications. The center offers a range of educational programs, including micro-credential courses, Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU), and specialized events like TrACathons. TrAC's mission extends to various domains, including agriculture, health, energy, and manufacturing. The USDA NIFA funded AI Institute for Resilient Agriculture (AIIRA, www.aiira.iastate.edu) is a key component of TrAC, focusing on AI applications in agriculture to enhance crop resilience and productivity. For more information, visit: www.trac.iastate.edu

About NAIRR
The National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) is a vision for a shared national research infrastructure for responsible discovery and innovation in AI. The NAIRR pilot brings together computational, data, software, model, training, and user support resources to demonstrate and investigate all major elements of the NAIRR vision, first laid out by the NAIRR Task Force. Led by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with 12 other federal agencies and 26 non-governmental partners, the pilot makes available government-funded, industry, and other contributed resources in support of the nation's research and education community. For more information, visit: https://new.nsf.gov/focus-areas/artificial-intelligence/nairr

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SOURCE Vocareum