

Dr. Anietie Andy is the lead on one of the task order projects and is an Assistant Professor in Howard University’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. In this spotlight, he shares how curiosity and collaboration shape his approach to artificial intelligence.

RITA celebrated the opening of the new Tactical Autonomy Lab at Norfolk State University, a state-of-the-art facility designed to promote hands-on research and innovation. The event featured remarks from NSU President Dr. Javaune Adams-Gaston, Dr. Michael O. Keeve, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology, RITA Executive Director Dr. Sonya T. Smith, and other distinguished members of the NSU faculty. The opening of the Tactical Autonomy Lab represents a significant milestone in advancing fieldable tactical autonomy research.

Highlights from RITA’s Annual Meeting hosted at Jackson State University

Dr. Gloria Washington, Associate Professor of Computer Science at Howard University and Principal Investigator with RITA, focuses on human-centered computing and deepfake voice detection. Her work protects critical systems while guiding students to combine creativity and technology in their own careers.

Dr. Darsana Josyula, Professor of Computer Science at Bowie State University, was recently awarded the Elkins Professorship by the University System of Maryland. A leader in AI and autonomous systems, she is recognized for both her research and the vibrant community she has built in her lab.

Howard University partnered with Amazon Web Services to host the first-ever AWS Machine Learning University Educator Bootcamp, training more than 200 faculty from 35 institutions to integrate AI and ML into their classrooms.
© Research Institute For Tactical Autonomy 2026. All Rights Reserved.
1328 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009