Fulbright and the Catholic University of Colombia are joining forces to advance data science and AI
On April 17, the most recent Fulbright Forum took place, an academic event that brought together the university community to share the results of the project “Strengthening Data Science Competencies for Innovation,” led by the School of Engineering at the Catholic University of Colombia and U.S. expert Brian Gillikin, as part of our Fulbright U.S. Specialist program.
This event not only marked the conclusion of two weeks of intensive learning but also sparked discussions about the future of these disciplines in Colombia. From April 6 to 17, 2026, the University organized a program of more than 20 academic activities in a hybrid format—including workshops, lectures, masterclasses, and specialized sessions—aimed at students, faculty, alumni, and external stakeholders.
With an estimated 150 participants trained in areas such as data analytics, visualization, and data cleaning, the project established itself as a high-impact training initiative with both local and national reach.
International expert Brian Gillikin is a doctoral researcher at Maastricht University, a Technical Lead and Managing Data Scientist at IBM, and an adjunct professor of Data Science at the University of Maryland. With three master’s degrees from institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and Tallinn University of Technology, Gillikin brought a world-class academic and practical perspective to the project.
Over the course of 14 days, the project was carried out with the aim of strengthening skills in data science and artificial intelligence, and promoting their integration with academic innovation and the private sector.