Laura Brown

Laura Brown is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and serves as the Associate Dean of Data Science Initiatives in the College of Computing at Michigan Technological University. She also directs the Data Science M.S. and B.S. programs.

Her educational background includes:

• PhD in Biomedical Informatics from Vanderbilt University
• MS in Biomedical Informatics from Vanderbilt University
• MSE in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Michigan
• BS in Engineering from Swarthmore College

Laura's research centers on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Science, with applications spanning energy systems (microgrids and power systems), health informatics, and computer systems. Her work bridges theoretical advancements with real-world problem solving, particularly in optimizing electrical grids and healthcare through data-driven approaches.

Her recent publications (2017-2019) demonstrate a strong focus on applying machine learning to energy forecasting and computer architecture. Key trends include solar irradiance prediction, load forecasting for power systems, and memory management in data centers using neural networks and dynamic policies.

Laura actively mentors students as co-advisor for Women in Computing Science (WiCS) and organizes Carpentries workshops, ICPC programming competitions, and Google research workshops. Her grant portfolio includes significant funding from NSF ($1.6M+), Google ($53K), and DoD (~$1M) for projects in smart grid technologies, microgrid management, and computer science education.

She collaborates through the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems (ICC), Ecosystem Science Center (ESC), and Center for Agile Interconnected Microgrids (AIM) on interdisciplinary research initiatives.