A Rivalry Transformed: Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University Unite in Research
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (August 26, 2025) — Each year, the air is filled with excitement during the Labor Day Classic, a storied football rivalry between Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) and Texas Southern University (TSU). However, beyond the football field, these two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are proving that their bonds extend into the realm of research, where collaboration is the new winning strategy.
A Significant Grant Achievement
In a historic collaboration, Prairie View A&M University will receive a substantial portion of a $2.2 million award granted to Texas Southern University, Texas A&M University, and the University of Michigan. This grant, spearheaded by TSU and funded by the U.S. Department of Defense’s Air Force Office of Scientific Research, will see PVAMU lead a significant segment of the work, receiving $600,000 for its contributions.
The Birth of a New Research Center
The funding will bolster the establishment of the Center for Scientific Machine Learning for Material Sciences, a groundbreaking initiative uniting experts from various fields such as applied mathematics, physics, statistics, optimization, and machine learning. The objective? To accelerate materials design and discovery in innovative ways.
Leading this endeavor are TSU faculty members Yunjiao Wang, Ph.D., as principal investigator, and Daniel Vrinceanu, Ph.D., as co-principal investigator. At PVAMU, the initiative is spearheaded by Noushin Ghaffari, Ph.D., with Lin Li, Ph.D., serving as co-principal investigator. Together, this powerhouse team aims to develop advanced machine learning tools that will fundamentally enhance the ability to predict, optimize, and simulate new materials.
Cutting-Edge Technology at Play
Central to this research is the electron beam powder bed fusion (E-Beam) platform, a state-of-the-art tool employed in metal additive manufacturing. Managed by Mohsen Taheri, Ph.D., at Texas A&M University, this technology is poised to supercharge the research efforts. By integrating E-Beam technology with sensor data and advanced mathematical modeling—including deep neural networks and SciML models—researchers are set to create innovative, data-driven methodologies that can accurately predict material microstructures and performance outcomes.
Empowering the Next Generation
This initiative goes beyond immediate scientific advancements; it also aims to strengthen data science and machine learning programs at HBCUs and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). Both undergraduate and graduate students will engage in hands-on research, gaining valuable experience in a high-impact environment.
In the summers of 2024 and 2025, hybrid workshops led by faculty from TSU and PVAMU will train students in vital areas such as Machine Learning and Additive Manufacturing, while fostering essential soft skills through oral presentations, report writing, and collaborative projects. Students will culminate their efforts with presentations and posters, showcasing their work and demonstrating their newfound knowledge.
Research with Broader Implications
This collaborative project not only stands to advance scientific discovery but also enhances educational opportunities for underrepresented groups in fields that are rapidly evolving. As the research unfolds, findings are expected to emerge in academic publications and conference presentations, further enriching the body of knowledge in materials science and machine learning.
Written by Joe McGinty, with contributions from Dr. Noushin Ghaffari