Dr. Warren Leon Davis, a principal member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, received the 2019 Research Leadership Award at the BEYA Conference for his work in machine learning and its applications in computational physics, biochemistry, and cybersecurity.

During his speech at the BEYA Gala, Davis shared that his passion for science was evident from a young age and his family recognized and supported it by providing him with resources such as encyclopedias, microscopes, and computers.

Throughout his academic pursuits, his graduate advisors also provided him with guidance and support to overcome obstacles. Now as a research leader at a national laboratory, Davis is able to drive scientific discovery while advancing national security. He finds fulfillment in being able to mentor and support others, just as he was once supported.

His team has developed two anomaly detection algorithms and has embedded machine learning algorithms into supercomputer physics simulation code, which has the potential to revolutionize the way scientific simulations collect and analyze anomalous events.

Davis earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama and his master’s and Ph.D. in computer science from Florida State University. He has completed a second master’s degree in national security from the University of New Haven and is active in several organizations such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Association for Computing Machinery.

“When I was a child, my family noticed early on my passion for science,” Davis said in his speech at the BEYA Gala. “They mentored and supported me, buying encyclopedias, microscopes, computers, and whatever else I would need to fulfill my education.

“Later in life, while I pursued graduate degrees, my graduate advisors supported me by helping me overcome various obstacles. As a research leader at a premier national laboratory, I have the opportunity to drive scientific discovery while advancing our nation’s security. Perhaps most fulfilling is that I can give others the same mentorship and support that propelled me,” he said.