Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Andrea Lobo

Dr. Andrea Lobo is a professor in the Computer Science department. Her central research interest is currently Digital Health, the use of computing and technology to improve healthcare. Dr. Lobo teaches courses in design and analysis of algorithms, as well as computer networks.

Dr. Lobo is co-Director of Rowan’s Digital Health Laboratory. Her research efforts are currently divided amongst three externally funded projects in the area of Digital Health, in collaboration with faculty and students from Computer Science, Psychology, and Osteopathic Medicine. One project is developing mobile and web applications to help Direct Support Providers (DSPs) that assist adults with autism, with funding from the NJDoH. Another project is an NIH-funded intensive assessment research that is investigating the relations between social experiences and physical activity among midlife women at risk for cardiovascular disease. A third project that is funded by SAMHSA aims to develop technology that encourages friends and family members of individuals with Opioid Use Disorders (OUD) to carry Naloxone, the overdose reversal medication. 

As an entrepreneur, Dr. Lobo is co-founder and principal of SimAcumen. SimAcumen’s simulator for multi-echelon supply chains enables supply planners to assess the impact of such supply chain disruptions and evaluate mitigation strategies. SimAcumen has been used in diverse sectors, including semiconductor equipment manufacturing, aerospace and defense, automotive, and healthcare.

The versatility of computer science has contributed to Dr. Lobo’s continuing enthusiasm for the field. The diversity of problems that can benefit from computer science is so vast that, over the course of a computer scientist’s career, that scientist can focus on all sorts of different human endeavors and work with many interesting people, all while making an impact on people’s lives.  

Dr. Lobo chose to pursue her career at Rowan University due to the exceptionally kind environment of the Computer Science department and the broader Rowan community. The small class sizes provide ample opportunity for the professor to connect with her students. Her favorite parts of being a CS professor at Rowan are helping her students gain experience and technical skills, and working together with them and the faculty to advance scientific knowledge. 

During her career at Rowan University’s Computer Science Department, Dr. Lobo has secured awards of external funding exceeding $1.1M, funded dozens of student researchers, and earned awards at professional conferences. She is especially proud of the Outstanding Colleague Award she received this past May from Rowan’s College of Science and Mathematics.

Dr. Lobo is continuing her research projects in Digital Health. This coming spring she will also be exploring ways of using virtual reality for neuropsychological testing.

Dr. Lobo is an excellent faculty member in the Computer Science department, with her tireless research efforts helping better the healthcare world with incredible technology. Dr. Lobo’s research is sure to leave not just one, but several marks on the field at large. She is an integral part of Rowan University.

Written by Kiley Parker | Posted 2022.9.22