The Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing (IDSC) held the 3rd annual IDSC Day on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at the University of Miami Lakeside Village EXPO CENTER. Demos, posters, and presentations showcased the impact IDSC has made on the University of Miami, South Florida community, and beyond.
This exciting event convened faculty, staff, students, and industry partners to enable discovery through leading-edge scientific and computational projects that extract hidden knowledge and generate fresh insights from large and complex datasets. At IDSC Day, core IDSC faculty members and current IDSC Fellows discussed their projects, studies, and research interests. Demos, posters, and presentations from grant recipients showcased how IDSC support made them more competitive for Federal funding. Toward the end of the day, a relaxed social event, provided opportunities for conversations, learning, and networking.
IDSC was pleased to announce the keynote speakers for the third annual IDSC Day: Ishrat Badami and Rocio Joo
Keynote Speaker | Ishrat Badami, MS
TALK TITLE: Beyond Automation: Shaping Ethical Destiny from Gutenberg to Generative AI
Ms. Ishrat Badami is a technologist and researcher with over 12 years of experience in applied AI research and product development across multiple domains, including robotics, healthcare, visual effects, advertising, and education technology.
She holds a master’s degree in computer vision and machine learning from the University of Bonn, Germany.
She began her journey working on mobile assistive robotics under a European Union research initiative, followed by developing AI systems for elderly care and fall detection. Ishrat later contributed to the evolution of AI-powered visual effects pipelines and spent several years advancing contextual and creative intelligence in ad tech.
She is now focused on building next-generation learning experiences in education technology at a stealth startup. Passionate about bridging research and real-world applications, Ishrat continues to explore how multimodal AI can reshape storytelling, learning, and human–machine collaboration. Read More
Keynote Speaker | Rocío Joo, PhD
TALK TITLE: “Data Ethics in GFW’s Word on Forced Labor”
Rocío Joo is a senior data scientist on the research and innovation team at Global Fishing Watch. She oversees the development and improvement of the organization’s fishing and vessel behavioral models, while also leading research efforts on forced labor and helping coordinate research partnerships, particularly in Latin America.
Prior to joining Global Fishing Watch, Joo worked at Instituto del Mar del Perú, Institut Français de Recherche pour l’Exploitation de la Mer, France, and the University of Florida in the U.S., conducting fisheries and movement ecology research.
Joo obtained her bachelor’s degree in statistics engineering at Universidad Nacional de Ingeniería in Peru, a master’s degree in biostatistics and her doctorate in ecosystems at Université de Montpellier, France.
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Event LocationUniversity of Miami |
