MinerAlert
MinerAlert
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the way people live and work, and Anantaa Kotal, Ph.D., is helping ensure those technologies are built on a foundation of trust.
Kotal, assistant professor of computer science at The University of Texas at El Paso, has been selected as a 2026–2027 Computing Research Association Trustworthy AI Research Fellow, one of only eight researchers nationwide to receive the prestigious honor.
Her research focuses on making artificial intelligence systems more transparent, reliable and aligned with scientific knowledge. Rather than relying solely on data, Kotal explores how AI can incorporate established scientific principles to produce results that are accurate, explainable and fair.
“Being named a CRA Trustworthy AI Research Fellow is humbling,” Kotal said. “It’s an affirmation that the questions my students and I have been asking about AI matter to the broader research community.”
Kotal credits UTEP’s collaborative research environment for supporting her research and creating opportunities to work alongside colleagues in engineering, science and public health. She also values mentoring students, helping them develop the skills to shape the future of artificial intelligence.
“I want students to move from being users of AI to becoming its architects,” she said.
As a CRA Trustworthy AI Research Fellow, Kotal will collaborate with researchers from across the country while continuing to advance artificial intelligence that is transparent, accountable and designed to address society’s most important challenges.