The AI4OPT educational program has a goal to “democratize access to AI education, AI research, and the AI workforce, bridging the gap in opportunities that exist for multiple population segments.” The Institute is building pathways in “AI in Engineering” for African American and Hispanic communities, starting with high school education and continuing with community colleges and universities. These pathways for AI in engineering leverage existing partnerships with historically Black high schools, new collaborations with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) around the U.S., and engagements with nonprofit organizations that aim to broaden participation in AI and research in optimization.

The AI4OPT educational initiative is organized around six fundamental principles:

1. Get students interested early
2. Keep the students interested
3. Teach the teachers
4. Help the teachers create their own programs
5. Organize mentorship programs
6. Broaden participation

Core Initiatives

• The Seth Bonder Summer Camp in Computational and Data Science
• Undergraduate Education
• Graduate Education
• Outreach

Academic Partners

High School

• Banneker High School (Atlanta, GA)
• Drew Charter High School (Atlanta, GA)
• Kids Teach Tech (Virtual)

HBCUs

• Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, TX)
• Hampton University (Hampton, VA)
• Texas Southern University (Houston, TX)

MSIs

• College of the Sequoias (Visalia, CA)
• Moreno Valley College (Moreno Valley, CA)
• Victor Valley College (Victorville, CA)

Diversity & Education

• HerWILL (Atlanta, GA)