Nii Tawiah

Dr. Nii Tawiah is an Assistant Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Delaware State University, specializing in computational sociology with expertise in data science and AI applications for social justice in health domains.

His educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Florida, Gainesville
• M.A. in Sociology from North Carolina Central University, Durham
• B.A. in Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra

Dr. Tawiah's research integrates computational methods with sociological inquiry to address health inequities. His work focuses on machine learning applications for studying adverse childhood experiences, opioid use disparities, and AI-driven mental health solutions for marginalized communities. This interdisciplinary approach bridges sociology, public health, and computer science to develop data-informed interventions for systemic health challenges affecting vulnerable populations.

His 2024 publications demonstrate a cohesive research trajectory examining how data science can illuminate health disparities. The studies collectively analyze racial inequities in substance use treatment, environmental impacts on child development, and ethical AI frameworks for mental healthcare—revealing his commitment to using computational tools to advance health equity through rigorous empirical analysis.

Key recognitions include:

• Mentoring Research Development Award (MRDA) from ACCEL Delaware-CTR (2024-2025)
• South Hub Partnership Nucleation Award from South Big Data Innovation Hub (2024-2025)

Dr. Tawiah leads significant research initiatives as PI for the South Big Data Innovation Hub award and Delaware State University's Teaching and Learning Mini-Grant. His extensive grant portfolio includes multiple USDA-funded projects as Co-PI spanning environmental justice, agricultural workforce development, and nutrition science (2021-2027). He actively mentors through the Mastercard Center Data Challenge and directs the AUC Data Science Initiative's Research Affinity Cohort.

He contributes to the National Data Science Alliance, South Big Data Hub, CODATA-RDA Schools of Research Data Science, All of Us Research Program, and AUC Data Science Initiative, fostering collaborative networks that advance data science applications in social justice contexts.