2023 George H. Boyd Distinguished Lecture.

Reception to follow in Coverdell Center Lobby.

Fang “Florence” Lu is a senior technical architect at IBM and five-time IBM Master Inventor. She has developed numerous software applications at IBM over the last 20 years, ranging from enterprise social solutions to healthcare analytics. She has designed and developed cloud-based artificial intelligence/machine learning solutions for clients to solve real-world challenges.

Lu has received 250 granted patents covering various application areas, including social software, the internet of things, healthcare analytics, security, accessibility, globalization, and many more. She is a mentor in IBM’s JumpStart program, avidly encouraging other IBMers to turn their ideas into patents by hosting workshops and information sessions. She loves to inspire early professionals as they start their careers in computing. 

Lu is a Lemelson Invention Ambassador for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and has been sharing her insights on innovation and inventions in both industries and the academic world through conference presentations and publications. Lu teaches STEM activities at the local school in her community and has mentored teams in the HackMIT events and First Lego League team. Lu has volunteered at Jr. Tech’s Girls STEM Summit and Cambridge Science Festival. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, the Association for Computing Machinery and a senior member of IEEE.

The George H. Boyd Distinguished Lecture Series honors the former dean of the UGA Graduate School, who was known for his commitment to education and research. During his 33-year association with the university, Boyd (1891-1965) served as head of the zoology (now cellular biology) department, chairman of the biological sciences division, dean of the Graduate School and director of General Research. The lecture series is supported by the Office of Research and the William S. and Elizabeth K. Boyd Foundation. Each lecture brings national leaders and policymakers in science, education and related fields to the university to talk about applications of research to contemporary issues in education.