A career in artificial intelligence (AI) research wasn\u2019t what Aws Al Jumaily (BSc \u201923, MSc \u201925) had planned when he came to Brock as a Public Health student in 2018.<\/p>\n
But encouragement from his older brother, a fellow Brock graduate<\/a>, led to a new major and ultimately, a new passion.<\/p>\n Now, Al Jumaily has earned a Master of Science in Computer Science along with Brock\u2019s highest graduate honour, the Governor General\u2019s Gold Medal. Presented annually to the graduate student with the highest academic standing across all programs, the honour was awarded on Thursday, June 12 during the University\u2019s 117th Convocation<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cComputer science wasn\u2019t something I ever imagined myself doing,\u201d says Al Jumaily, who\u00a0graduated with a 98 per cent average.<\/p>\n Now, he can see his successful path forward.<\/p>\n Despite his accomplishments, Al Jumaily acknowledges that the journey hasn\u2019t always been easy.<\/p>\n \u201cIn high school, I wasn\u2019t great at math or coding,\u201d he says. \u201cI had to self-teach a lot, and I made peace with the fact that it would be hard. You have to assume it\u2019s going to be difficult and commit to putting in the time.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the years, he says he adopted study strategies learned as an undergraduate student and became more comfortable asking questions in class, \u201ceven at the risk of sounding annoying or repetitive.\u201d<\/p>\n Al Jumaily\u2019s coursework was challenging, but his biggest takeaway from his graduate studies is patience, especially in research.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s never a moment when you feel completely done. I always have more ideas I want to explore,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I\u2019ve learned how to recognize when something is good enough to share and save ideas for future iterations of research.\u201d<\/p>\n His research optimizes artificial intelligence and drug design, and his thesis focused on training AI models to improve drug-like molecules<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAt first, the model is like training a puppy; it doesn’t know what it’s doing and generates random molecules that score poorly,\u201d he says. \u201cBut over time, with enough feedback, it learns how to make better choices through positive reinforcement learning.\u201d<\/p>\n The goal is to train the system to take a designated lead molecule and modify its structure to enhance its effectiveness as a drug.<\/p>\n His passion for AI-driven drug design began during his undergraduate thesis under the supervision of Yifeng Li, who continues to mentor Al Jumaily at the Brock Biomedical Data Science Laboratory.<\/p>\n Li was glad to see Al Jumaily receive such a prestigious award.<\/p>\n \u201cAws began working with me in 2021 as an undergraduate and received tough training in fundamental AI theory, applying it in real-life projects like drug and material design,\u201d Li says. \u201cHis persistence and focus brought him to this point, and I\u2019m excited that he\u2019s continuing with us as a PhD student.\u201d<\/p>\n Li is already working on his PhD in Intelligent Systems and Data Science at Brock alongside his brother, who is in the same PhD program.<\/p>\n \u201cAfter five years as an undergrad and two years in the master\u2019s program, it\u2019s great to be staying in the same lab and growing with the same group,” Al Jumaily says. “I\u2019m really excited to take everything I\u2019ve learned and apply it to new challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking back, he is grateful for those who have shaped his journey, from his brother introducing him to computer science to the research opportunities and encouragement provided by Li.<\/p>\n And none of his achievements would have been possible, he says, if not for the sacrifices made by his parents when they moved their family to Canada from Iraq in 2006.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been incredibly lucky. I owe this to my family, my mentors and everyone who believed in me.\u201d<\/p>\n From June 10 to 13, about 3,800 graduands from seven Faculties will receive their degrees as part of Brock\u2019s 117th Convocation. All ceremonies take place in the Ian Beddis Gymnasium of Brock\u2019s Walker Sports Complex and will be livestreamed online at\u00a0brocku.ca\/livestream<\/a>. A full collection of Convocation photos by ceremony will be available on\u00a0Brock University\u2019s official Facebook page.<\/a><\/p>\n For more information and the full schedule of Brock\u2019s Spring Convocation, visit\u00a0brocku.ca\/convocation<\/a><\/p>\n A gallery of images and videos of the\u00a0 morning and afternoon Faculties of Education and Mathematics and Science ceremonies are available below.<\/p>\n\n\t