Lab Members


Yunhe Feng, PhD
Dr. Yunhe Feng, Director
he/him/his
Yunhe.Feng (at) unt.edu
Google Scholar
ORCID
@yunhefengit

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, TX; a Tier-One (R1) Research University as per Carnegie Classification, where I direct the Responsible AI Laboratory (RAIL) and co-direct the Master's Program in Artificial Intelligence, the first Master of Science in AI in Texas and one of few nationwide. My research interest lies in Responsible AI, Generative AI, and Data Security and Privacy.

Before joining UNT, I was a Postdoctoral Fellow/Scholar with Dr. Chirag Shah at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle (2020-2022). I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science in 2020 from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). I also worked as a deep learning research intern (Summer 2018) and research assistant (Dec. 2018 - Sep. 2019) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where I led the interdisciplinary research project of DeepWelding. I obtained my B.E. in Computer Science & Technology and M.E. in Computer Technology from Beijing University of Technology in 2011 and 2014, respectively. I am affiliated with UW Responsibility in AI Systems and Experiences (RAISE) and serve as Associated Editor for Information Matters. I also serve as TPC for AAAI, EMNLP, ICWSM, CIKM GLOBECOM, HPCC, etc.

My research has been sponsored by both academic and industrial grants, including Kaggle's Open Data Research Grant, Google Cloud & Harvard Global Health Institute COVID-19 Research Credits, UW-Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Credits, UW Strategic Research Fund, and NSF-funded XSEDE (Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment) Startup Allocation. I have received several fellowships and awards, including Inaugural Dallas Innovates AI 75 List, IEEE Smart Computing Special Technical Community (SCSTC) Early Career Award, UW Data Science Fellowship, UTK Min H. Kao Fellowship (the highest departmental award), UTK EECS Department Excellence Fellowship, a Best Paper Award by IEEE BigDataSecurity'18, and two Best Paper/Presentation Nominations by IEEE CloudCom'17 and ACM UbiComp'20. My research has been covered internationally by news outlets, including Financial Times, Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, UW News, AAAS EurekAlert, and ACM Tech News.


Bobby
Zulfiqar 'Bobby' Shaik
Undergraduate Research Assistant
TAMS Class of 2025
ZulfiqarShaik (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn

My name is Zulfiqar "Bobby" Shaik. I am from Coppell, Texas. I will be attending TAMS (Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science) at UNT starting in the Summer of 2023. I will be pursuing Computer Science pathway at TAMS and related research. I truly care about the Planet Earth and want to build AI computer systems to maximize the use of renewable resources, minimize environmental impact and efficiently manage sustainable sources.

All my education prior to TAMS has been in Coppell ISD. During the school years, I was in National Junior Honor Society, been President of Student Council, Officer in TSA (Technology Student Association), Leo Club, Solar Car Club and few other clubs, Youth Leader in community, Volunteer for many nonprofits. During Pandemic, I was instrumental in designing a faith-based prayer reservation and contact tracing platform. I want to continue to use the technology solutions to bridge the gap between schools and the communities.

Outside the academics, I'm passionate about Travel (most recent trip is to Australia and New Zealand), Architecture, Authentic regional cuisines of the world. I play Cricket during my downtime. Win or Lose, Dallas Cowboys are my team.


Colton
Colton Clemmer
Undergraduate Research Assistant
coltonclemmerdev (at) gmail.com
LinkedIn
GitHub

I am Colton Clemmer, pursuing a bachelor's degree in computer science at UNT. I am also employed as a senior developer at Profiscience Partners, where I work on writing a single page web app to help law firms keep track of their attorney's training called UniversitySite. I have been a hobby developer for many years, working on projects in machine learning, unity game development, web development, functional programming, and open source software. I have contributed to several open source projects, including Haskell's Cabal package manager. Currently, I am studying natural language processing in my free time. I am excited to be a part of the Responsible AI lab to better understand how formal research is done in computer science.

• Skills - Web programming, functional programming, machine learning, game programming, C#, SQL, Haskell, Rust, Typescript, and Python

• Hobbies: Open source software development, video games, rock climbing, and FPV drones.


Gengwen Kevin Li
Gengwen Kevin Li
Undergraduate Research Assistant
TAMS Class of 2025
GengwenLi (at) my.unt.edu
GitHub

My name is Gengwen Kevin Li and I am currently attending the Texas Academy of Math and Science. I am currently in the Computer Science pathway and I am interested in the development of artificial intelligence and its use. I believe that AI must be carefully and responsibly coded to work for the betterment of humankind.

Prior to coming to TAMS, I attended Seven Lakes High School in Houston, where I was on the STEM pathway. I was a member of the school’s Computer Science Club and Robotics Club, where I worked on a number of different things, such as helping program a robot for First Robotics Competition (FRC). In addition to this, I also worked with a team of other students to program 2 board games in Java. I also do game development in Unity as a hobby and I have coded a number of large projects in Unity, such as a multiplayer first person shooter. I believe that AI should be coded safely and without bias, as we move towards a future where AI is being integrated into more and more of our lives. I am interested in helping to create a future where our world is made better by unbiased, impartial, and fair AI.

I have experience in coding with Java, Python, C++, and C#. In my free time, I enjoy reading, participating in game jams, and socializing with my friends.


Sina
Sina Montazeri
Graduate Research Assistant
SinaMontazeri (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn
GitHub

I am an M.Sc. in Artificial Intelligence student at the University of North Texas. I'm currently in my second year, conducting research on language models. I strive to democratize access to AI and believe it is our moral and professional duty as practitioners to ensure equal and democratic access for all communities. My goal is to create tools that empower individuals and communities to excel not only in their professions but also in their personal and daily lives.

Before pursuing my Master's, I was a Senior Software Engineer for 7 years, working at several startups and leading multiple software production lifecycles. I also founded a free career coaching program to help individuals transition into coding careers. The impact I had on my local community encouraged me to work towards democratizing AI.

Over the years, I've worked with numerous technologies, and practiced a wide range of skills from systems to algorithmic design. When I'm not coding, you can usually find me on my mountain bike. I'm also attempting (and failing) to learn the electric guitar.


Arun
Arun Kumar Reddy
Graduate Research Assistant
arunkumarreddykandula (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn

Hello, I am Arun Kumar Reddy, a graduate student at the University of North Texas with a major in Artificial Intelligence.

I did my integrated dual degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering with a bachelor's at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad, India, and a master's at the Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand where I was introduced to Artificial Intelligence and its problem-solving capability. This has paved a way for me to develop an autonomous navigation and operation Power Tiller for my master’s thesis project, a prototype that can be used to till farmland based on color detection and object tracking. I have 2+ years of experience working with a startup based out of Bangkok developing an image search engine for their product catalog, which is used to display search results from the image taken by the customer.

I am excited to be a part of The Responsible AI Lab where I could put in my learnings of Artificial Intelligence practically and solve real-world problems.


Pranay Munikuntla
Pranay Munikuntla
Undergraduate Research Assistant
PranaykumarMunikuntla (at) my.unt.edu
GitHub
LinkedIn

Greetings! I'm Pranay Munikuntla, currently a junior majoring in Information Technology at the University of North Texas. With a keen interest in Data Analytics, IT, and Sustainable Energy, I love to delve into the intricate details of systems and finding innovative solutions.

In the realm of programming, I've honed my skills primarily in C and C++, leveraging their efficiency. Additionally, I've delved into Python, finding its versatility particularly useful in various data-related tasks. Some notable projects that I've worked on include a Solar EV Charging Project with the Association of Energy Engineers, and also a Sales Analysis project done to enhance profitability.

My journey in the tech world led me to the Responsible AI Lab, where I aim to delve deeper into the realms of Artificial Intelligence. I'm eager to explore its applications in diverse fields and contribute to the development of responsible and ethical AI solutions. Beyond academia and tech, I find joy in exploring various IT domains, from networking and cybersecurity to cloud computing and database management. Keeping pace with the ever-evolving IT landscape excites me, and I enjoy staying updated with the latest trends and technologies.

In my leisure time, you'll find me amusing myself with video games, where I enjoy the occassional challenge and immersive storytelling. Additionally, I have a passion for football, both as a player and a spectator, finding system and peace in the beautiful game. Exploring the intersection of technology, sustainability, and human well-being drives my aspirations, and I'm eager to make meaningful contributions in these domains. Whether it's optimizing systems for efficiency or fostering responsible AI practices, I'm committed to leveraging technology for positive impact.


Devin
Devin Brown
Research Assistant
BrownDevinM (at) gmail.com
LinkedIn

My name is Devin Brown. I'm pursuing a Computer Science BS at the University of North Texas.

Technology has always been a big part of my life. My journey started as a child taking apart old electronics to understand them. In high school I took my first coding course, attended programing competitions, and joined the robotics club. Since then I have been working on personal projects and teaching myself different languages here and there. The promise of A.I. has fascinated me for years and I am excited to take part in it myself. The tech industry is so vast and interesting, I have a wide variety of interests, but currently my main focus is on generative A.I. and computer vision.

In my free time I like to work on coding projects, make music, and I'm learning how to animate. I'm excited to be apart of the Responsible AI Lab; I hope to grow as a computer scientist and help the lab ensure that humanity can enjoy the benifits of A.I. while being protected from its potential harm.


Kareem Baba Shaik
Kareem Baba Shaik
Graduate Research Assistant
KareemBabaShaik (at) my.unt.edu
/heiskareem
@heiskareem
/heiskareem
@heiskareem

Hello, I'm Kareem Baba Shaik, a master's student in Artificial Intelligence at the University of North Texas, Dallas. I got my bachelor's degree in computer science at Malla Reddy Engineering College in Telangana, India. I love working with AI and competitive programming that helps people.

In my bachelor's, I did many official and unofficial internships with product-based startups, mostly in web development. I also led the student association technical club in my college, helping other students to guide and find what they're passionate about in tech. I've been into programming since high school, where I started teaching it to others to help them get over their fear of coding.

I like to dive into various technologies and experiment with many programming languages. I've worked on lots of projects in areas like machine learning, data science, web, and app development. Now, I'm really interested in making AI that's safe and fair, without bias, and protects people's privacy.

I taught myself a lot about programming. I'm good with C++, Python, Java, JavaScript, and TypeScript. Besides tech, I like to cook and watch anime


MINGCHEN_LI_IMG
Mingchen Li
Graduate Research Assistant
li.mingch (at) northeastern.edu
LinkedIn
GitHub
Personal Blog

I am Mingchen Li, currently pursuing my MSc in Information Systems at Northeastern University. I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science with AI from the University of Nottingham, China campus. Before joining the lab, I gained experience in various NLP topics, including BERT fine-tuning for COVID-19 Tweets at Hong Kong HangSeng University, outcome was published in Expert Systems with Application Journal. Additionally, I previously worked as a Software Engineer in China, where I participated in diverse cross-field projects such as deploying the Bayes model on textile machines and handling sensor data in wastewater processing. I am eagerly looking forward to contributing to a more efficient and equitable world with the assistance of AI. Industrial applications combined with AI have the potential to greatly enhance efficiency. I have a strong interest in numerous ML/AI topics and am always open to learning.

My primary programming languages are Python, Java, and C#. I hope that my knowledge and programming skills, though limited, will be an asset to the lab. In my free time, you might find me cooking, gaming, or watching anime.


Rafid
Rafid Ishrak Jahan
Graduate Research Assistant
RafidIshrakJahan (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn

I am Rafid Ishrak Jahan, currently pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science at the University of North Texas (UNT).

Before enrolling at UNT, I earned my B.S. in Software Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). I was also a Math Tutor at the Department of Mathematics, UTA. Soon after graduation, I stepped into the professional world by becoming an Associate at Infosys Limited. My journey began with an intensive boot camp experience where I received training in Full Stack App Development using Java 8, Spring Boot, Oracle Database, and Angular. Boot camp experience laid the foundation for my subsequent involvement in a project that centered on the creation of Java-based microservices for web applications. Accumulating two and a half years of valuable professional experience, I decided to further my education with a focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI). I aspire to leverage my past experiences in solving real-world problems as a part of the Responsible AI Lab.

During my leisure time, I find solace in exploring the wonders of nature, as well as engaging in sports like cricket, soccer, badminton, and FIFA.


Sumera
Sumera Anjum
Graduate Research Assistant
Sumera Anjum (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn

I am Sumera Anjum, currently pursuing a master's degree in Computer Science at the University of North Texas. I have worked as a support engineer intern in Amazon’s Kindle Reader SE team, where I developed a self-serving diagnostic tool to assist the customer support team in resolving issues related to Kindle for PC & MAC. I have a stellar academic record and have worked on several interesting projects involving CNN, XGBOOST, and other machine learning algorithms. I am deeply fascinated by subjects like Machine Learning, Operating Systems, Computer Networks, and Design and Analysis of Algorithms. I have also been a part of the ECA (Emerging Computer Arena) club, where I had the opportunity to study advanced CSS and Bootstrap. I have done AWS courses and internships to gain knowledge about the cloud and the services provided by Amazon to handle enormous data. As a diligent, highly organized, and inclusive person, I am enthusiastic about learning and applying modern technologies, particularly in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, to solve real-world problems. Following the quote, "Everything I know is but a drop in the ocean of knowledge," I believe in expanding my horizons.

In my leisure time, I love listening to music and reading.


Hanzhi
Hanzhi Zhang
Pd.D. Research Assistant
hanzhizhang (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn
GitHub

I am a PhD student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), University of North Texas (UNT), Denton, TX. I will conduct my further research on Transformer in the Responsible AI Lab.

Before joining UNT, I worked as a storage backend engineer for half a year in industry. I have finished my Master's distinction degree in the University of Birmingham major in Data Science. I focused on predicting car accidents by machine learning/deep learning methods based on VANET, an edge computing environment; and probed factors that influence the price of cryptocurrency based on the blockchain; designed and implemented a data vault model. I have obtained my Bachelor's degree major in Computer Science and Technology at the Xiamen University of Malaysia. I experienced sentiment analysis based on deep learning algorithms by Bidirectional Long Short Term Memory.

I frequently program by using Python, have experience in C, C++ and Go language, and learn some knowledges about Rust. I am highly efficient and good at parallel working. In my leisure time, I used to study miracle things like tarot and astrology, watch musicals and dramas, visit museums, galleries and exhibitions.


Zexuan
Zexuan ‘Shawn’ Meng
Ph.D. Research Assistant
ZexuanMeng (at) my.unt.edu
LinkedIn
GitHub

I am pursuing my Ph.D. in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), UNT. I will conduct further research on Reinforcement Learning in the Responsible AI Lab. My research interest lies in Reinforcement Learning, Responsible AI, and Computer Vision.

Before joining UNT, I obtained my M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Northeastern University, Boston (2021-2023). I experienced a project about image segmentation and implemented an image super-resolution system utilizing a Generative adversarial network (GAN). I received my B.E. in Software Engineering from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in 2017. I focused on classic algorithms and designed an American Sign Language (ASL) recognition system with YOLOv3.

My primary programming languages are Python and Java. I also have experience in C, C++, Golang, and Kotlin. I love playing pickleball, going hiking, and editing videos in my leisure time.


Kai
Kai Zhuang
Undergraduate Research Assistant
kai.zhuang (at) mail.utoronto.ca
LinkedIn
GitHub
Personal Website

My name is Kai Zhuang. I am pursuing my Honors BSc in Computer Science at the University of Toronto with minors in Mathematics and Statistics. While my technological interests are diverse, they all have one thing in common: I'm excited about technologies that can be utilized to create meaningful solutions to problems relevant to our lives.

Imagine a world where technology is integrated into every part of our lives. Perhaps augmented reality glasses will highlight traffic hazards to lower the rate of vehicle accidents. Maybe object recognition models will be integrated into earbuds so the blind can receive audio descriptions of the world they can't see. I'm excited to take on a role in inventing that future and realizing a more integrated society. With that mission, I have already pursued many projects that aim to solve local problems like social distancing, driving accidents, and friend gatherings. I started small but have big plans for the future. Those plans brought me here, to the Responsible AI Lab where I aim to do meaningful research with artificial intelligence.

To achieve my goals, I have accumulated a robust skill set. To list a few: Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML/CSS, R, ReactJS, React Native, Flutter, Node.js, Express, Spring Boot, GraphQL, Git, MongoDB.

Outside of developing software, you can find me cooking, practicing the violin, singing with my friends, and preparing to run my first marathon in 2023!


Kai
Kaicheng Li
Undergraduate Research Assistant
li.11277 (at) osu.edu
LinkedIn
@Kaicheng_L

My name is Kaicheng Li. I am now a Math BS undergraduate student at Ohio State University with a minor in Computer Science. I am interested in data analysis and server management, especially combining AI learning and data analysis. I have attended programming competitions since I was in middle school. In high school, I participated in the bot programming club and helped the robot club create its control system. I am studying applied math at OSU, focusing on discrete calculus. Also, I attend a minor in Computer Science Data Analytics Track. I look forward to giving out a general solution of tons of information that may help with the social problem. Applying responsible AI to the solutions will make the analytics more reliable. I used to create a lot of bots that work for different groups. Those bots can support various functions that respond to users' messages or commands in the group chat. But the bot can only reply to the hardcoded keywords or commands. I want to apply language learning at this point to make the bot smarter and easier to use. I will try my best to learn from all of you—everyone's evaluation and guidance are important to me.

I have experience in Python and C++. I am now learning Java, JavaScript, and machine learning. In my leisure time, I like cooking and watching sports games like soccer, football, and baseball.


Swagatika
Swagatika Dash
Research Assistant
swagidash21 (at) gmail.com
LinkedIn
My CV

My name is Swagatika Dash. I recently graduated with my master's degree in Information Management with a Data Science specialization from the University of Washington, Seattle. I have seven years of work experience in various software industries like Oracle, BNP Paribas, and HCL Technologies in India. Before joining my master's, I worked as a Senior Consultant at Oracle doing data analytics and statistical data analysis of financial data. That is the point of my professional career, where I got introduced to the world of data science and machine learning and that persuaded me to do a master's in the Data Science field. My areas of expertise include surfing through vast amounts of diverse data to discover valuable business insights, data visualizations, data storytelling to the stakeholders, performing statistical tests, and executing regression/ classification machine learning models with touching upon some significant areas of information management like data privacy, fairness, and model's explainability. I have a bachelor's in Computer Science and Engineering. Moreover, my data science and computer science educational backgrounds along with my professional experiences in the software industry have empowered me with some technical expertise and interpersonal skills.


Muneer
Muneer Ahmed
Research Assistant
muneerahmed (at) umass.edu
LinkedIn
@a19130009

My name is Muneer Ahmed. I am a Computer Science graduate student from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I have worked as a Data Analyst in BofA India at all levels of the data pipeline, involving SQL and Hadoop. I love patterns and problem solving. I have always been fascinated with Big data, machine learning, and AI. Making use of machines and computers to bring about drastic changes in our quality of life is the future to which I want to contribute a little too. I completed my undergraduate study in Computer Science at VIT Vellore in India, where I had a chance to work on both ML and AI. Even in my current Master's course, I have compared the performance of various modeling methods(like KNN, Random Forest, CNN) on numerous datasets. I look forward to working on AI with the responsible AI lab and solving real-life problems.

At the Responsible AI lab, I would like to contribute to bringing core ethical values to AI. I plan to learn more about AI and its works by being part of this team. You can find me on the tennis court, playing games or watching anime on my computer.


Brian
Brian Li
Research Assistant
brianli847 (at) gmail.com

My name is Brian Li and I am currently attending Winston Churchill High School, where I am learning advanced mathematics, physics, and computer science. I am passionate about the possibilities of Artificial Intelligence in the rapidly changing world stage and how AI will shape the job industry in the future. I have experience in Python and enjoy writing and reading novels.


Panav
Panav Mhatre
Research Assistant
mhatrepanav (at) gmail.com
LinkedIn
@PanavMhatre
GitHub

I am Panav Mhatre a high school student at Lebanon Trail High School. Throughout my time in high school, I have taken courses related to computer science, engineering, and mathematics. I enjoy building computer algorithms that can help solve problems faced in the real world through artificial intelligence and machine learning. I learned machine learning while interning at an AI startup, where I dabbled in various projects related to natural language processing (NLP) and computer vision (CV). Some of my previous research experiences include being a researcher at MIT-Biogen Labs, where I researched in the biomedical field.

I am interested in the Responsible AI lab partly due to the increased impact AI is having in our daily lives. With that, there has been an increased focus on building models that are ethical and fair to all genders and ethnicities. I am good at problem-solving, creative thinking, and programming. I am a self-taught developer with proficiencies in Python, Java, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. In my free time, I love to spend time with my friends and family.


Past Lab Members


Phoebe Kim
TAMS student, Research Assistant, 2022 Fall - 2024 Spring, Joined Computer Science Undergraduate Program at UT Austin.
Sripoorna Modugula
TAMS student, Research Assistant, 2022 Fall - 2024 Spring, Joined Computer Science Undergraduate Program at Purdue University.
Pradhyumna Poralla
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2022 Fall - 2024 Spring, Co-authored One Paper, Outstanding Masters Student in AI Award Winner.
Gowtham Medisetti
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Spring - 2024 Spring, Co-authored One Paper, AI Student Scholar at UNT.
Abdul Kareem Arbaz
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Fall - 2024 Spring, Co-authored One Paper.
Yingjie Liu
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Fall - 2024 Spring, Joined Biology PhD Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW).
Vrushabh Desai
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2022 Fall - 2023 Spring, Co-authored One Paper.
Navyasri Meka
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Spring, TGS R.B. Toulouse Scholarship Winner.
Manasa Cherukupally
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Spring, TGS R.B. Toulouse Scholarship Winner, Co-authored One Paper.
Sreecharan Vanam
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2022 Fall - 2023 Spring, Co-authored One Paper.
Abinesh Haridoss
Master's student, Research Assistant, 2023 Fall - 2024 Spring, Co-authored One Paper.