Maxwell Omwenga

Assistant Professor of Computer Science
Program Director, Computer Science

Room 252, Koch Center for Engineering and Science
812-488-2691
mo138@evansville.edu

Dr. Maxwell Omwenga is the Program Director of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Evansville (UE). With a deep passion for innovation and education, Dr. Omwenga has dedicated his career to advancing the fields of machine learning, cyber-physical systems, and edge computing. Before joining UE, he made significant contributions as a Data Science Researcher with the Networked Intelligence Laboratory at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Dr. Omwenga's expertise and dedication have earned him numerous accolades, including the prestigious Global Scholar Grant in 2024, the ARSAF Grant in 2023, and the Technology Symposium Award in 2019. His research, which has been published in renowned journals and conferences such as the IEEE IoT Journal and the IEEE International Electro Information Technology, focuses on leveraging modeling, simulation, optimization, and machine learning to address real-world complex sequential decision problems.

Among his notable works are explorations into cutting-edge technologies, such as Cognitive Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), where he has significantly advanced subsurface object detection using deep reinforcement learning and edge computing. His publications like "ScanCloud: Holistic GPR Data Analysis for Adaptive Subsurface Object Detection" and "Autonomous Cognitive GPR Based on Edge Computing and Reinforcement Learning" demonstrate his innovative approach to integrating AI with physical systems.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Omwenga's creative spirit shines through his passion for music. He plays the bass guitar, violin, and congas & bongos, bringing a rhythmic energy to both his work and life. His commitment to the community is evident in his volunteer work at the local community kitchen and his dedication to teaching robotics to elementary school students. Dr. Omwenga's blend of technical expertise, creativity, and community spirit makes him a valuable mentor and leader at UE.

Courses Taught

• CS-101 Introduction to Computer Science (3 credits)
• CS-210 Fundamentals of Programming I (3 credits)
• CS-215 Fundamentals of Programming II (3 credits)
• CS-290 Object Oriented Design (3 credits)
• CS-315 Algorithms and Data Structures (3 credits)
• CS-430 Artificial Intelligence (3 credits)
• CS-475 Networks (3 credits)
• CS-495 Senior Project Phase I (3 credits)
• CS-497 Senior Project Phase II Programming (3 credits)
• CS-498 Independent Study in Computer Science Programming (1-3 credits)
• CS-499 Machine Learning (3 credits)

Education

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computer Science, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, 2021
• Master of Science (MS) in Data Communication and Software Engineering, Makerere University, Uganda, 2012
• Bachelor of Science (BSC) in Computer Science, Makerere University, Uganda, 2006

Professional Membership

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
• Sigma Xi
• HarvardX
• Google Map Maker

Publications

• S. Thompson; M. M. Omwenga, and B. W. Johnson, “Text Extraction and Classification for Automated Balance Sheet Data Entry from Form 1120,” IEEE International Electro Information Technology, May 2024.
• Malla, M. M. Omwenga, and P.K. Bera, “Exploring Image Similarity through Generative Language Models: A Comparative Study of GPT-4 with Word Embeddings and Traditional Approaches,” IEEE International Electro Information Technology, May 2024.
• Dwyer, and M. M. Omwenga, “Training Topology With Graph Neural Cellular Automata,” IEEE International Electro Information Technology, May 2023.
• M. M. Omwenga, D. Wu, Y. Liang, D. Huston, and T. Xia, “ScanCloud: Holistic GPR Data Analysis for Adaptive Subsurface Object Detection,” IEEE International Conference on Information Reuse and Integration for Data Science, June 2021.
• M. M. Omwenga, D. Wu, Y. Liang, L. Yang, D. Huston, and T. Xia, “Cognitive GPR for Subsurface Object Detection Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning,” IEEE IoT Journal, January 2021.
• M. M. Omwenga, D. Wu, Y. Liang, L. Yang, D. Huston, and T. Xia, “Autonomous Cognitive GPR Based on Edge Computing and Reinforcement Learning,” IEEE ICII, November 2019.
• W. Rice, M. M. Omwenga, Dalei Wu, Yu Liang, “Enhanced Underground Object Detection with Conditional Adversarial Networks,” ISSAT, August 2019.
• D. Wu, M. M. Omwenga, Y. Liang, L. Yang, D. Huston, and T. Xia, “Edge Computing Cognitive Portable Ground Penetrating Radar” MobiMedia, June 2019.
• D. Wu, M. M. Omwenga, Y. Liang, L. Yang, D. Huston, and T. Xia, “A Fog Computing Framework for Cognitive Portable Ground Penetrating Radars,” IEEE ICC, May 2019.
• M. M. Omwenga, J. Sansa, and A. Lumala, “Robust Mobile Cloud Services Through Offline Support,” IEEE ACSEAC, September 2012.