Howard, Ayanna
1972- · Contribution: 2010s-present
Machine learning and robotics for educational and assistive technology
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Founded Zyrobotics, a company using robotics and machine learning to create educational tools for children with special needs; named the 12th president of Spelman College in 2026 (effective August 1, 2026)
Life & background
A roboticist and professor at Georgia Tech, Howard founded Zyrobotics, applying machine learning and robotics to develop educational technology for children, with a particular focus on accessibility for kids with special needs; she went on to become dean of engineering at Ohio State University and, in June 2026, was named the 12th president of Spelman College, a historically Black women's college that has ranked as the nation's top HBCU for 19 consecutive years, making her one of the most prominent Black women in artificial intelligence to lead a major academic institution.
Sources
- U.S. patent record; Spelman College (official announcement)
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