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Computer Scientist Abby Stylianou, Ph.D., Receives NSF Award to Help Fight Human Trafficking

05/16/2025

Abby Stylianou, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the School of Science and Engineering, was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award that will help her advance technology she developed to combat human trafficking.

Abby Stylianou, Ph.D.

Abby Stylianou, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science at Saint Louis University

The five-year NSF award, valued at approximately $600,000, is for Dr. Stylianou’s project “Aligning Image Retrieval Systems with Human Notions of Similarity.”

Dr. Stylianou will develop new techniques for aligning image search systems with how human experts prioritize visual detail, which will enable users to guide searches through language or domain-specific visual cues. These advances will be incorporated into TraffickCam, an image search tool she helped develop in 2015 that supports the work of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Dr. Stylianou began her career at SLU as a Research Institute Fellow in the fall of 2019. Her research focuses on computer vision and machine learning algorithms.

“The awarding of this NSF CAREER grant is a testament to Dr. Stylianou’s work in this space as a scholar, expert, and innovator,” said Gregory Triplett, Ph.D., Dean of the School. “This externally funded project will have a real and tangible impact for making the world a safer place.”

 

About the School of Science and Engineering

Saint Louis University formed the School of Science and Engineering in 2022 to better meet the future needs of its students and faculty. The school brings together select departments from the College of Arts and Sciences — chemistry, computer science, earth and atmospheric sciences, and physics — with the former Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology. To learn more about the School of Science and Engineering, visit slu.edu/science-and-engineering.

About Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.