Woodbridge, Old Bridge Young People Chosen For Fellowship To Study AI

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — Two young people from Woodbridge and Old Bridge were chosen for a fellowship from the state of New Jersey to study AI.

They are Laila Diaz and Hassan Ibrahim, both students at Middlesex County community college. Diaz lives in the Sewaren section of Wodbridge, and Ibrahim lives in Old Bridge.

They were selected for the AI for Impact New Jersey Community College Fellowship, a semester-long learning program provided by the New Jersey State Office of Innovation.

They were chosen out of more than 250 applications. Both are studying computer science.

They will be tasked with exploring how to use artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector/government. The fellowship pairs community college students with professional advisors at the New Jersey State Office of Innovation, providing hands-on experience in applying AI to address government challenges and drive innovation in the public sector.

The students will receive stipends from the state.

Ibrahim, of Old Bridge, said he applied for the fellowship because of his interest in using artificial intelligence in an ethical way. His current project is working with a machine-learning model to streamline IT ticketing.

“I was interested in seeing how AI systems work in a regulated, government setting,” said Ibrahim. “There are negative effects to AI with image generation usage, and that lack of consent. I wanted to be able to work with the technology respectfully to see how it can make a positive impact.”

Diaz's current project is creating an AI Slack bot for engineers to search through data easily and find source citations.

“I would love to specialize in cybersecurity working for the government,” said Diaz. “I feel like working in government is like working for my community.”

Middlesex College is a public, two-year institution of higher education located in the heart of New Jersey. With a main campus in Edison and centers in New Brunswick and Perth Amboy, Middlesex College offers over 90 degree and certificate programs for its more than 10,000 students.