Donald Wunsch II

Donald Wunsch II is the Mary K. Finley Missouri Distinguished Professor and Director of the Kummer Institute Center for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems at Missouri S&T. He also directs the Applied Computational Intelligence Laboratory. His academic career includes roles at Texas Tech University and industry positions at Boeing, Rockwell International, and others. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington, an Executive MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, and additional certifications in Nonprofit Management.

Research interests focus on neural networks, fuzzy systems, evolutionary computing, and applications in AI, robotics, and bioinformatics. Notable contributions include work on unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning architectures, and adaptive resonance theory. Awards include the IEEE Neural Networks Pioneer Award (2023), INNS Gabor Award (2015), and Ada Lovelace Service Award (2019).

He has advised numerous Ph.D. students across Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and related fields. Leadership roles include service on the NSF’s Program Director panel, St. Patrick’s School Board, and multiple academic and professional society boards. His labs and initiatives emphasize interdisciplinary AI integration and policy development.