Dr. Rahman Tashakkori

Dr. Rahman Tashakkori is the Lowe’s Distinguished Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Appalachian State University and the director of ECRS, NSF LSAMP and NSF S-STEM Scholarship Programs. Since joining App State in 2000, he has established interdisciplinary collaborations and research, engaging both colleagues and students. Courses he has created and taught include Image Processing, System Security and Administration, Scientific Computing with Visualization, Applied Neural Networks, Data Science 1 and Data Mining of Scientific Data.

Among his research projects, Tashakkori has been involved with monitoring systems investigations into honeybee colony collapse. Tashakkori's Visual and Image Processing (VIP) lab, with the help of students, has created a honeybee monitoring system called Beemon. This system obtains reliable video and audio recordings from the hives to help better understand the behavior of honeybees, estimate their numbers and monitor the growth and health of the hives. Tashakkori has directed several honeybee research grants, including NC Research Opportunities Initiatives (ROI) and NC Innovation. He serves as the director of several scholarship programs, including ECRS, NSF LSAMP, and NSF S-STEM. His latest NSF S-STEM six-year, $2 million grant aims to increase the number of students majoring in astronomy, chemistry, computer science, geology, mathematics and physics.

Areas of expertise

• Image processing
• Data science
• Honeybees monitoring systems 
• Computer science education