Harry N. Keeling, Ph.D.

              Assistant Professor

Dept. of Systems & Computer Science

 

 

Howard University

School of Engineering
2300 6 St, N.W.
Washington, DC 20059

Telephone: (202) 806-4830

Fax: (202) 806-4531

hkeeling@scs.howard.edu

 

Education

 

 

Research Interests
  • Intelligent Tutoring Systems
  • Machine Learning
  • Artificial Intelligence

Professional Achievements

Career spans thirty years of experience in the fields of education and computer science. He spent the early years performing research and development in these fields. Over the last decade, taught others to understand and use information technology. Current research seeks to find useful ways of applying findings from educational research and machine learning toward the advancement of both fields.

Beginning with a programming position at Georgetown University in 1969, professional experience has included information systems design and development, systems documentation and training, management consulting, marketing, project management and systems planning. During the '70s and '80s, owned and operated a number of businesses, offering management consulting and computer-related services to both the private and public sectors. Participated in, and managed all phases of computer-based systems development life cycle. In the 90's taught at Howard University and conducted research in the area of multistrategy machine learning, educational agents and intelligent tutoring systems.

Experience has come from the following positions:

    • University Professor teaching courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels in programming, software engineering and the development and implementation of computer-based solutions. Research into intelligent tutoring systems
    • Consultant in the Washington D.C. area, providing management consulting services in both public and private sectors.
    • Manager/Project Leader concentrating on developing and implementing quality of software products using contemporary CASE tools and software engineering techniques.
    • Systems Analyst / Applications Programmer with emphasis on structured systems design, intelligent agents, and software development methodologies.

Scientific and Professional Societies

Recent Publications 

  •  "Building an Assessment Agent in Statistics". In the proceedings of the IASTED International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Soft Computing, August 9-12, 1999 - Honolulu, Hawaii - USA.
  • "A Methodology for Building Intelligent Educational Agents". In the proceedings of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, July 19-23, 1999 - Le Mans - France.
  • Contributing writer to "Building Intelligent Agents: An Apprenticeship Multistrategy Learning Theory, Methodology, Tool and Case Studies", Academic Press, 1998.

Journal Papers

·          "Developing an Intelligent Educational Agent with Disciple ". In The International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education (IJAIED) Vol. 10.2, 1999.

Conference Papers

  • "Developing Intelligent Educational Agents with the Disciple Learning Agent Shell". In Proceeding of the 4th International Conference, ITS '98, San Antonio, Texas, Springer Verlag, 1998.
  • "Efficient Development of Intelligent Test Generation Agents with the Disciple Learning Agent Shell". In Efficient ITS Development Workshop Proceedings, 4th International Conference, ITS '98. San Antonio, Texas, 1998.
  • "Teaching an Agent to Teach Students" In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Machine Learning. Madison, Wisconsin, Morgan Kaufmann, 1998. (Best Paper Award).
  •  "The Disciple Learning Agent Shell and a Disciple Test Generation Agent" Exhibit at the 4th International Conference, ITS '98, San Antonio, Texas, 1998.
  • "Building Disciple Agents: Selected Validation and Verification Issues". In Verification and Validation Workshop Proceedings. 3rd National Conference on Artificial Intelligence. Portland, Oregon, 1996.

 

 

Educational Experience

  • College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Science, Department of Systems and Computer Science, Howard University, Washington, DC., Assistant Professor, 1998-Present.

Teaches the following courses:

    • Introduction to Artificial Intelligence - a study of the different theories in artificial intelligence.  This course focuses on the representation of knowledge, logical inference, semantic networks, production rules, frames, distributed models, and procedural representations, algorithmic and heuristic search.
    • Introduction to Programming - an overview of programming concepts and algorithms. Students are introduced to programming constructs and the C++ language.
    • Elementary Data Structures - a review of standard data structures employed in solving complex problems. Emphasis is placed on the implementation of these structures and their encapsulation as reuseable polymorphic modules.
    • Fundamentals of Discrete Optimization - an introduction to discrete structures that are fundamental to the construction of efficient computer based algorithms. These structures like trees, graphs, and networks are presented, and their most notable characteristics stressed. Additionally, mathematical constructs that are used to quantify algorithm performance are examined.
    • Structure of Programming Languages - students are exposed to advanced concepts in programming languages. Emphasis is on the properties of contemporary languages that affect design, efficiency, levels of abstraction, and its use in problem solving.
    • Advanced Data Structures - exposes students to advanced concepts and algorithms for the manipulation of data structures using the C++ language. A major focus of the lectures is to provide an overview of the key paradigms used in developing useful and reusable data abstractions. Software reuse is emphasized and object-oriented concepts are used throughout the course.

 

  • School of Business, Department of Information Systems and Analysis, Howard University, Washington, DC. Lecturer 1989-1995.

Taught the following courses:

    • Introduction the Management Information Systems - an overview of management and organization concepts as they applies to information systems; focuses on the basic concepts of computer system with emphasis on end-user computing and PC-based applications.
    • Systems Analysis and Design - an in-depth review of linear and alternative life cycle approaches; using (Demarco/Yourdon) structured analysis and design methodology steps through systems development life cycle; students are guided in the application of this methodology to a real-life business using CASE tools.
    • Software Design - an introductory course on algorithms and computer programming; students are instructed on simple programming logic and structured programming techniques.

Professional Experience

  • Howard University, College of Engineering, architecture and Computer Science, 2300 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20059

Principal Investigator, Howard University Air Force Future Aerospace Science and Technology Center HUFAST, Jan., 1999 - Present

Managed a multi-year research project for Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)

  • George Mason University, 4400 Campus Dr., Fairfax, VA.

Research Assistant, Jan., 1996 - Dec., 1997

Performed at the Learning Agents Lab this research focused on the area of intelligent tutoring systems for computer software. Currently conducting research into the use of a multistrategy learning approaches to build intelligent educational agents. In this project, an intelligent agent has been integrated with a (non knowledge-based) educational software package, enhancing its functionality and usability. For more detail on this project see: http://www.cs.gmu.edu:80/research/lalab/

  • Howard University, School of Business, 2600 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20059

Coordinator of Faculty Advisement, Sept., 1993 - June., 1996

Designed and developed a PC-based degree audit system that assisted faculty advisors and students in tracking degree progress. Implemented system that collected student and transcript data to be analyzed to produce individualized student degree audit statistics and graduation projections. The programming languages used were Dbase and Visual Basic. This system had a positive impact on student retention.

  • American Red Cross, Washington, D.C. 20006

Project Leader, June, 1985 - Dec., 1988

Managed a multi-year project to design, develop and implement a microcomputer (LAN) based system to support the disaster relief efforts of the American Red Cross. With a staff of system analysts and programmers, performed structured analysis, prototyping, structured design, and software development with the assistance of several national users groups.

  • M C Technologies, Inc., Silver Spring, MD 20783

President/Principal, Sept., 1982 - June, 1985

Provided management consulting and computer systems development services to a variety of clients in both the public and private sectors. Clients included over 20 colleges and universities. Performed systems studies ranging from feasibility analysis to full life cycle systems development. Conducted a variety of computer-related workshops and seminars for college faculty, staff and students.

  • Deloitte, Haskins, & Sells, Washington, DC

Senior Consultant, April, 1981 - Sept., 1982

Provided management consulting services to clients. These services included assisting management in problem definition and selection of solutions to EDP and accounting related problems. Also, assisted clients in the selection and acquisition of computer hardware and software. Performed requirements studies, RFP and proposal development, financial systems analysis, accounting controls review, and EDP audits.

  • Institute for Services to Education, Washington, DC

Director of MIS, Sept., 1977 - Aug., 1981

Directed staff of consultants and provided technical assistance to a consortium of colleges and universities in the areas of information sciences and computer-based management information systems. Managed and conducted numerous workshops and seminars. Provided on-site technical assistance and management consulting to clients.

  • Opportunity Systems, Inc., Washington, DC

Task Leader/Programmer, June, 1972 - Sept., 1977

Managed team of computer programmers and researchers on systems development project. Provided technical marketing support for proposal development. Designed, coded, and tested COBOL programs for several federal agencies.

  • Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Computer Programmer, Sept., 1969 - June, 1972

Developed computer software for several university systems including accounting, payroll, library circulation control, and equipment inventory system.