Posted on March 11, 2026by Staff

With a $5K grant from the Office of the Chancellor, computer scientist Travis Mandel is rebranding and upgrading the current Data Science Lab to its new identity: Scientist-Centered Artificial Intelligence Laboratory or SCAIL.

By Samantha Dane/UH Hilo Stories.

The Data Science Laboratory at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is transforming this semester into the new Scientist-Centered Artificial Intelligence Laboratory or SCAIL.

Heading the project is Travis Mandel, associate professor of computer science and coordinator for UH Hilo’s data science program. Mandel, whose area of expertise is in artificial intelligence — notably human-in-the-loop AI, a data-driven process that improves models and algorithms through human intervention and contribution to create better and more accurate AI — founded UH Hilo’s data science lab in 2017 in tandem with co-developing the new data science program.

“Data science is the best way to do science, if you’re motivated by important real-world problems,” says Mandel.

• UH Hilo developing new data science program (Oct. 31, 2017, UH Hilo Stories)
• New computer scientist Travis Mandel specializes in artificial intelligence (Nov. 29, 2017, UH Hilo Stories)

Mandel began the lab work with a specialty in integrating AI in educational video games designed for students. What he found, though, was a developing interest in AI assistance from the many research laboratories on campus, with not many experts to turn to.

It was Mandel who stepped up to the task, adjusting his approach to AI research over time to accommodate the needs of other researchers at the university, all of whom are integrating AI into their teaching and research:

• Associate Professor of Marine Science John Burns and the coral mapping work at his (now-nonprofit) Multiscale Environmental Graphical Analysis (MEGA) Lab;
• Associate Professor of Data Science and Business Sukhwa Hong (learn about his research and teaching) and his colleague Assistant Professor of Quantitative Business Analysis Chenbo Shi working with AI in business analytics (also developing new AI program in their college);
• Professor of Geography and Environmental Science Ryan Perroy and the mapping work at his Spatial Data Analysis and Visualization Lab.

Mandel is also collaborating with climate scientists at UH Mānoa including Yinphan Tsang (soil moisture), and Tom Giambelluca and Han Tseng (cloud water interception), and with the Director of the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry Christian Giardina (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, carbon sequestration).

https://www.youtube.com/embed/CWRSV_HbXyU?start=42&feature=oembed
Data scientist Travis Mandel helped geographer Ryan Perroy increase his lab’s accuracy in identifying Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death, which greatly eased management efforts. At 0:42 in the above video, trees in the forest affected by ROD are shown as red dots.

One of the first collaborations Mandel worked on was with geographer Perroy, utilizing computer vision from drone and helicopter surveillance to monitor for invasive species and Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death in forests. It was a first for Mandel, but one of many applications for machine learning in research to come.

“I think that’s been one of the things I’ve loved about being at UH Hilo,” says Mandel. “It’s very easy to collaborate, especially being in data science.”

From carbon sequestration and land use problems to marine science to business, AI applications in research are endless. “I think it’s good for people to see the breadth of stuff that’s done in data science and AI,” says Mandel.

A new identity: Scientist-Centered Artificial Intelligence Lab

Mandel was recently awarded a $5,000 grant from the Office of the Chancellor to rebrand and upgrade the lab to its new identity: the Scientist-Centered Artificial Intelligence Laboratory or SCAIL.

“The name helps to let students know this is an important center of research on campus,” he says. “The name reflects the fact that we’re very focused on not just AI, but AI that helps scientists do their job better.”

Mandel says he does not want the new lab to be science centered but rather scientist centered.

“I don’t think AI is something that should come in and replace people,” he says. “I think it’s something that should be assisting people doing these very important scientific tasks.” It’s an important distinction Mandel makes in both the name and goal of the lab, reflecting continual dedication to using AI in service of human and scientific problems, without sacrificing the people doing the work.

Alongside the name change, the grant will be used to upgrade the lab space. This is the first year the lab has a fixed location on the second floor of Mookini Library, and Mandel has plans to make the space even better.

“I want to make it a functional research lab, but I also want it to be somewhere that students enjoy coming,” says Mandel. He plans to use the grant money to upgrade the furniture, purchase a standing desk to promote healthy behavior, and overall make the space comfortable for students to work and spend time, not just a formal lab space to work on their research.

A place for collaboration, teaching, research

Mandel says his style of teaching brings a very “hands-on learning experience” to his students working on research problems, and the new space is designed to enhance that activity.

“I have this kind of setup where it’s very easy to collaborate with students, and I think the space is already helping a lot with that,” he says. “Once we’ve finished improving the lab with this new investment, it’s going to be even better at that.”

Currently working in the lab alongside Mandel are five undergraduates and a high schooler. He says there are a variety of different projects that the students work on, but they usually involve working with AI to assist scientists with their research.

The lab offers a challenging yet rewarding research experience for those interested in data science.

“I like students to be doing things that really intellectually challenge them,” says Mandel. “Sometimes it’s even harder than some jobs in industry.”

These educational opportunities are not limited to students majoring in data science or computer science.

“Many majors could benefit from some technical skills in data science and AI,” says Mandel, noting that “the data science certificate only requires a year of data science coursework while still providing students with plenty of experience.”

The lab offers an opportunity for students to develop important problem-solving skills, and Mandel says “they take all those skills with them into the workforce. A lot of them have had very good success finding jobs.”

Expressing his gratitude for the funding boost, Mandel says “the pay off will come when students come by and see the space and be like, wow, there’s some really cool cutting-edge AI stuff being done here, maybe I want to come to UH Hilo so I can learn more about what’s going on.”

Story by Samantha Dane, a biology major at UH Hilo.