Brian C. Strong, a master’s student in data science at Meharry Medical College’s School of Applied Computational Sciences, spent summer 2025 as an National Institute of Health (NIH) R25 scholar working on a project at the intersection of AI and education. His research used federated learning and the AI Flower framework to build a predictive model for student success in STEM and biomedical training — while ensuring data privacy.
What began as a model to determine the probability of success evolved into a personalized recommendation system. Strong incorporated factors such as mental health, socioeconomic status and personal background to provide a holistic view of student achievement.
“My hope was to build a model that not only analyzed student data while preserving their privacy but also produced personalized academic recommendations that could help students succeed,” Strong said.
Beyond the technical work, Strong valued the supportive environment at Meharry SACS, highlighting relationships with classmates and the sense of community and collaboration that enriched his learning experience.
“Even though people think we’re virtual, we’re also family, and as a unit, we always look out for each other,” Strong said. “We do our best to work together and understand what we need in order to be successful.”
Through his research and advocacy, Strong not only advanced AI-driven student success models but also served as a voice for underrepresented students in STEM. Congratulations, Brian!
Written by Carmen Campbell, digital content specialist, Meharry School of Applied Computational Sciences.
