JSU - Faculty & Staff

Dr. Brent P. Thoma

Dr. Thoma spent his formative years exploring the natural beauty of Missouri's springs, streams, and lakes, but his interests in invertebrate zoology and marine biology drew him to the Gulf Coast. After taking part in the Summer Field Program at the Gulf Coast Research Lab (GCRL) as an undergraduate, Brent returned to GCRL to complete his Master's in Coastal Sciences prior to completing his PhD and post-doctoral research at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where he focused on the evolution and ecology of decapod crustaceans (e.g., crabs, shrimps, lobsters). Brent is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of the Marine Science Program in the Department of Biology at Jackson State University.

At present, his research includes: 1) use of eDNA to examine trophic ecology in marine ecosystems, 2) population biology of crustaceans, 3) impacts of microplastics on marine and estuarine organisms.

Dr. Ali Abu-El Humos

Dr. Humos is a professor of computer science at Jackson State University. He received his Ph. D and M.S in computer engineering from Florida Atlantic University, and a B.S in electrical engineering from the University of Jordan. Dr. Humos research interests are in the areas of wireless communications and networks, remote sensing and IoT for coastal intelligence.

Dr. Kamal S. Ali

Dr. Kamal S. Ali is a Professor of Computer Engineering at Jackson State University (JSU). Prior to joining JSU, in 2005, Dr. Ali was a professor at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) for 20 years. During his tenure at JSU and USM, Dr. Ali served as a consultant and Chief Technical Advisor for the United Nations. He also served as the founding Director of the Computer Engineering Track at the United Arab Emirates University, UAE, and as a Research Associate/Consultant for the Department of Defense (US Army, Air Force, and Navy) and the US Department of Energy. Dr. Ali’s research focuses primarily on Unmanned Systems and Machine intelligence. As of late, Dr. Ali’s research has shifted more towards issues with the STEM education pipeline in the United States.

Dr. Naira A. Ibrahim

Naira A. Ibrahim completed her PhD in the Environmental Institute Research of El-Sadat University, Egypt, and postdoctoral studies from Tuskegee University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences of the Department of Biology at Jackson State University, She has been published 6 papers related to phytoremediation and uptake modeling in reputed journals and conferences proceedings, authored book chapter in the field of phytoremediation of Uranium and presented in numerous national and regional level conferences. Also, she serves in assisting many PhD students in their thesis. Co-authored in papers related to phytoremediation of uranium. In addition, serves as a reviewer in some papers related to the field of phytoremediation. I assisted in teaching one of the computerized modeling related to NOAA which is The Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model (HYSPLIT) and other calculated models using Microsoft Excel.

Andria Miller

Andria Miller serves as the Ocean Science Education and Outreach Coordinator at Jackson State University (JSU), where she is committed to cultivating interest and engagement in marine science. Holding a Bachelor of Science in Biology concentrating in Marine Science and a Master of Science in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island, Andria is enthusiastic about developing educational programs, coordinating student initiatives, and producing impactful environmental justice documentaries. With a strong passion for empowering underrepresented groups, she emphasizes experiential learning, peer mentorship, and collaboration to create pathways for students aspiring to pursue coastal and ocean science careers.