Principal Investigator
Dr. Gongfan Chen (陈巩凡)
Ph.D. in Civil Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2023
M.S. in Electrical & Computer Engineering, North Carolina State University, 2023
M.S. in Civil Engineering, University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, 2019
B.E. in Engineering Management, North China Electric Power University, 2017
Graduate Researcher
Swapn Shah
Ph.D. in Computer Science, 2025 – Present
Swapn Shah grew up in Ahmedabad, a city in western India, where he completed his high school education before pursuing undergraduate studies. He later earned his master's degree at UNC Charlotte, where he had the opportunity to work as a Research Assistant alongside exceptional colleagues. This experience sparked his interest in pursuing a PhD. After gaining experience in the industry, Swapn realized that his true passion lies in Applied AI, particularly in designing and improving models to address the next generation of challenges. He is now pursuing a PhD at UNC Charlotte, focusing on practical and trustworthy AI to transform careful research into tools that people can use in real-world applications.
M.S. in Computer Science, UNC Charlotte, 2022
B.E. in Computer Science, Gujarat Technological University, 2020
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Shuai Shao
Ph.D. in Data Science, 2025 – Present
This is Shuai, a first-year PhD student in Data Science. Before pursuing the Ph.D. in Data Science at UNC Charlotte, I held leadership roles in the catering industry for over a decade, including positions as General Manager and Department Director. As a member of the inaugural cohort of the Ph.D. program, I'm also a graduate student from the Master's program in Data Science and Business Analytics at the School of Data Science, UNC Charlotte. I earned dual bachelor's degrees in French and Economics from Xiamen University, China. My research focuses on Agentic AI, AI Chatbots in Mental Health, AI Literacy, and Multimodal Alignment.
M.S. in Data Science and Business Analytics, UNC Charlotte, 2024
B.A. in French & Economics, Xiamen University, 2011
Undergraduate Researcher
Saniya Pritchett
B.S. Construction Management, Expected May 2028
Hello! My name is Saniya, and I am a sophomore studying Construction Management with a strong interest in project coordination, construction operations, and exploring new ways of thinking. Outside of academics, I enjoy dancing, staying active, and exploring creative outlets.
Ananya Patchigolla
B.S. Computer Science, Expected May 2027
Hello! My name is Ananya Patchigolla, and I am a Computer Science student concentrating in AI, Robotics, and Gaming. I have a strong interest in software development, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies, especially Edge AI and real-time systems. Outside of academics, I enjoy singing, dancing, and exploring creative outlets through technology and design.
Shreem Dixit
B.S. Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence
Hi, I'm Shreem Dixit, a double major in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at UNC Charlotte. I'm highly interested in AI research, machine learning, data science, and software engineering. I enjoy building real-world technical projects and working on innovative solutions involving Python, backend development, and emerging AI technologies. I'm currently involved in research focused on Edge AI applications and am always looking for opportunities to learn, collaborate, and grow in the tech industry.