Fueling the AI Revolution: DOST-ASTI ML Experts deliver online training to USJ-Recoletos students

23 Jun 2023 5:00 PM

Cebu City, PH — The Department of Science and Technology-Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) recently concluded a comprehensive virtual lecture series in collaboration with the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) School of Computer Studies. Organized by the ASTI-Automated Labeling Machine (ASTI-ALaM) Project, this lecture series aimed to equip students with essential knowledge and skills in the rapidly growing field of machine learning.

Held between 30 January to 8 May 2023, with 1.5-hour sessions every Monday at 9:00 A.M. for the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023, the lecture series provided 65 students (43 from BS Information Technology, 15 from BS Computer Science, and 7 from BS Information Systems programs) with a solid foundation in machine learning along with a comprehensive understanding of supervised learning.

The lecture series covered a wide range of topics, beginning with mathematical preliminaries and an introduction to machine learning. Students learned valuable insights into supervised learning and linear regression, along with essential classifiers in machine learning such as k-nearest neighbors, logistic regression, Naive Bayes, Decision Trees, and Artificial Neural Networks. The virtual sessions provided an invaluable opportunity for students to learn from experts in the field, equipping them with the knowledge and experience necessary for future careers in machine learning and artificial intelligence.

This collaboration between DOST-ASTI and the University of San Jose-Recoletos School of Computer Studies (USJ-R SCS) aimed to enhance AI education in the country.

As part of this partnership, DOST-ASTI provided vital support in designing and planning professional courses on deep learning, facilitated knowledge transfer activities, and offered remote access to computing resources. DOST-ASTI also defined use case applications for the ASTI-ALaM R&D project, led related research efforts related to the use case applications, and introduced advanced topics like hyperparameter optimization and geographic information systems (GIS) relevant to the use cases and collaboration on future AI-based R&D projects.

The partnership between DOST-ASTI and USJ-R SCS demonstrates the commitment of both institutions to driving technological innovation and nurturing local talent in the evolving landscape of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This is an important step towards empowering students with the tools they need to navigate the world of machine learning and its vast applications, in preparing future ML professionals to meet the growing demands of the global landscape.

Leading the lectures was Mr. Elmer C. Peramo, one of the technical leads of the ASTI-ALaM Project, Engr. Eduardo D. Piedad Jr., DOST S&T Fellow, and Engr. Jose Maria E. Braga, AI Engineer, with the ASTI-Automated Labeling Machine (ASTI-ALaM) Project team and the student-participants of the Machine Learning virtual lecture series in collaboration with the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) School of Computer Studies, Cebu City.