CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — Coastal and Marine System Science Ph.D. student, Miranda White, gained interest in integrated environmental science while studying at Bethune Cookman University in Florida.
In 2021, the Chair of Coastal Artificial Intelligence at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's Conrad Blucher Institute (CBI) reached out to White to recruit her for interdisciplinary science research.
“My role here at the Conrad Blucher Institute is to deal with stakeholders that are utilizing some of the AI tools to help with prepare for cold stunning events in Southern Texas," White said.
Upon her arrival to the Coastal Bend, White began working with other students who specialize in research on trustworthy artificial intelligence (AI) in weather, climate and oceanography.
To help preserve endangered species, like juvenile green sea turtles, within the Texas Gulf Coast, White and other students with Del Mar College created a computer-based system that can predict cold water temperatures in the Laguna Madre up to five days before they happen. This allows stakeholders more time to mobilize efforts to protect and rescue cold-stunned sea turtles.
“A part of my research is not only providing water temperature predicts but providing some sort of estimate of how confident our model is," White said.
Dr. Phillipe Tissot is the man behind bringing White to the University. He has worked in Coastal Artificial Intelligence for more than 25 years and said the research that White and her team are doing will be revolutionary in the future of protecting our coastal ecosystem.
“A lot of the things we do now, a lot of the big decisions comes from the students," Tissot said. "We need as many people as possible who know what AI is, to develop AI, to work with AI. It's the future.”
White’s research models also help many coastal groups like the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center. The data allows them to be proactive with certain resources needed to properly care for sea turtles and other animals after severe weather events.
“What’s nice to have is these types of forecasts as they get dialed in, we know how much resource we need to make sure we’re ready," Jesse Gilbert, President and CEO of the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center, said. "This is the type of research that allows us to be more prepared. I don’t believe this rescue program would be what it is without Texas A&M Corpus Christi.”
White’s contributions to CBI’s NSF AI Institute for Research on Trustworthy AI in Weather, Climate, and Coastal Oceanography (AI2ES) were also recognized by the American Meteorological Society, where she won first place during their annual conference.
Overall, she said it's an honor to showcase the importance of AI research for our coastal wildlife. More importantly, she said it's a privilege to be able to set an example of what success looks like for young scientists like herself.
“I not only want to represent convergent scientists out there but be a successful representative of an Afro-Latina scientist within the world of AI.”
White also said she wants her research to help with the continued development of integrating stakeholder input as well as improving the quality of AI so it’s more trustworthy and useful for the community.
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