Brozina’s 4th NSF grant puts YSU at forefront of AI research

Corey Brozina, associate professor and associate director of the Rayen School of Engineering, has received his fourth National Science Foundation grant. His achievement comes in a funding landscape where less than 12 percent of NSF applications nationwide are approved. With this latest award, Brozina has now secured roughly $1.6 million in NSF funding, including the largest NSF grant in YSU history in 2020.

The project titled, “Developing Artificial Intelligence Literacy Among Undergraduate Engineering and Technology Students Through Case-Based Instruction,” is a three-year initiative within the NSF’s Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE). The effort focuses on integrating AI into engineering education by exploring how it can be used as a professional tool while also addressing the societal and ethical challenges it creates.

Brozina is working collaboratively with Aditya Johri, professor of information sciences and technology in the College of Engineering and Computing at George Mason University, to design curriculum around case-based instruction. The ready-to-use cases, introduced in YSU’s first-year engineering program, allow students to role-play scenarios that demonstrate how AI can be applied responsibly in real-world settings.

“Our goal is to equip students with both the technical skills to effectively use AI tools and the awareness to evaluate their societal and ethical impacts,” Brozina said. “By doing so, we’re preparing them to enter a future where AI is reshaping every field.”

The new curriculum will expose first-year engineering students to industry-related scenarios they are likely to encounter early in their careers, from automated hiring systems to sustainability concerns in AI computing. By engaging with cases that feel immediate and relevant, the project ensures that graduates leave YSU prepared to navigate complex challenges and apply AI responsibility in the workplace.

In addition to elevating YSU’s curriculum and exposing our first-year students to research, the grant positions the university as a leader among institutions of its size. Brozina and his colleague, Johri, will collaborate with partners at other universities of varying sizes, including the University of Florida, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Texas A&M, Case Western, Virginia Tech, Ohio State and Iowa State. After piloting and refining the case studies on AI literacy at YSU, the materials will be shared and implemented in first-year engineering programs nationwide.

“This work not only strengthens opportunities for YSU students, it puts us in a position to share how AI education is taught across the country,” Brozina said. By building, testing and refining these case studies here first, we’re ensuring that what we share with partner institutions is practical, effective and impactful."

The $320,000 grant officially begins Oct. 1, marking YSU’s early entry into the competitive field of AI research, with many institutions only now beginning to pursue similar funding. In addition to supporting curriculum development, the award provides resources to expand research opportunities at YSU, including funding for undergraduate researchers, a two-year master’s student, and a one-year postdoctoral position as well as support for partner institutions.

This milestone underscores YSU’s ongoing commitment to academic innovation and preparing students for the future of work. By combining cutting-edge research with hands-on learning opportunities, Brozina’s leadership ensures that YSU students not only benefit from national-level grant funding but also help shape the conversation on AI literacy across higher education.