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FGCU Pioneering hurricanes and diseases, with 2024-25 orange production forecasts
declining by 20%, state agriculture officials say — potentially
Southwest Florida’s the lowest annual harvest on record. Meanwhile, Florida ranks
first in the U.S. for polluted lakes, with water contamination
costing the state’s residents up to $10.5 billion annually, according
Technological Future to the Stockholm Environment Institute, an international
nonprofit research center. According to the National Oceanic and
New institute harnessing potential Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Helene and Milton alone
caused about $114 billion in damages in 2024. These stratospheric
of AI and data science to tackle statistics highlight the urgent need for improved disaster
critical issues preparedness.
According to a report from the World Economic Forum,
AI is projected to add 170 million new jobs and eliminate 92
million — a net gain of 78 million jobs. By integrating cutting-
edge technologies and state-of-the-art knowledge on subjects
like climate and resilience, and fostering collaboration among
academia, industry and government, Dendritic aims to enhance
community well-being, protect natural ecosystems and strengthen
economic and infrastructural sustainability for the region. Its
main application areas are health, environment, cybersecurity,
human computer interface, disaster management and resilience,
and education. Current projects under development include
by Dr. Leandro Nunes de Castro by Dr. Huzefa Kagdi image analysis and diagnosis in medical applications, data quality
AI and Data Science Professor and Dean, U.A. Whitaker College analysis and environmental solutions, drone swarms and aerial data
DENDRITIC Director of Engineering
analysis, social media data analysis, computer-mediated learning,
lorida Gulf Coast University is advancing education, and learning analytics.
research and innovation in artificial intelligence and data As a transformative force for our economy, the Dendritic
F science through a new institute led by expert faculty. Institute offers tailored education programs to upskill professionals
The Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence and Data Science and nurture future scientists, making graduates highly competitive.
Institute, or Dendritic Institute, was established by FGCU’s The institute’s name refers to dendrites, branched extensions of
U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering in August 2024. With a nerve cells in the human body that form interconnected networks
new group of faculty providing expertise in artificial intelligence transmitting signals among other cells. Similarly, FGCU’s institute
(AI) and Data Science (DS), the institute complements and fosters connectivity among researchers, labs and specialized tools to
supplements established academic and research strengths in the exchange ideas, knowledge and solutions seamlessly.
college. Two new degree programs, a bachelor's and a master's By addressing real-world problems and fostering innovation,
degree in computer science, were approved in 2024. These new the institute ensures Southwest Florida’s trajectory toward
programs align with the institute's mission by providing a strong a sustainable, resilient and technologically advanced future,
academic foundation in AI and DS, supporting its focus on benefiting the local community and the broader academic sphere.
advancing education and research in these fields. For additional information and regular updates about the
The Dendritic Institute is committed to addressing Southwest Dendritic Institute, visit its website:
Florida’s pressing issues, including climate-induced agricultural www.fgcu.edu/eng/dendritic-institute
risks, water pollution and disaster resilience. The region’s citrus
industry, for example, has faced unprecedented losses due to

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