The Art of Engineering Safety in Artificial Intelligence

An Obsession Takes Off!

Sometimes an obsession can be a gift. For Alexandra Davidoff (‘24, ‘29), her gift led to awards, innovation and a national fellowship.

Growing up in Redmond, Washington — a Silicon Valley of the Pacific Northwest (home of Microsoft and Nintendo of America) — she was nicknamed “airplane girl” for her fascination with aviation. While peers were playing games, she studied aircraft at The Boeing Company’s aviation museums in the region and tracked planes overhead, identifying each as they descended towards Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

That early enthusiasm for aviation planted roots that grew into a serious academic pursuit. For Davidoff, airplanes were more than machines — they represented a world of systems, challenges and possibilities waiting to be understood.

Her love of flight transformed into a broader passion for engineering, safety and discovery. Today, that same spark fuels her research in artificial intelligence (AI), where she is working to ensure that tomorrow’s most advanced systems remain reliable and safe.

Her passion matured into academic ambition. After earning a B.S. in Software Engineering, Davidoff is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at Embry‑Riddle - Daytona Beach. She has become the first EECS student at the university to receive a prestigious National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship — the “gold standard” of federal funding for emerging scientists.

One Honored Fellow. One Ice Cream Jubilee.

Davidoff’s journey traces back to the Washington Aerospace Scholars online academy, which deepened her knowledge of aerospace and earned her an internship with The Boeing Company. There, she worked on the ecoDemonstrator program, testing new technologies in real-world aviation.

Initially an Aerospace Engineering major, she switched to Software Engineering after discovering her fascination with avionics and systems engineering. “The amount of software and computer systems necessary for commercial aircraft to operate is truly incredible,” she explained.

When the NSF fellowship news arrived, she celebrated with ice cream and a surprise long weekend. She recalls the intense effort behind her win, the feeling was both unbelievable and rewarding: “Even while evacuating for Hurricane Milton, I was diligently working on my eighth revision of my essays!”

The Rise of Artificial Intelligence

Her path shifted again when she joined the EECS research group with Dr. Omar Ochoa, associate professor and program coordinator for M.S. in Computer Science and M.S. in Software Engineering, exploring the intersection of machine learning (ML) and software engineering.

She quickly became the group’s aviation specialist, but her goal extends beyond performance optimization. “I am more interested in using AI/ML to solve problems humans alone may not be able to feasibly solve.”

She stresses that while AI/ML offers great promise, it also presents risks. Rewards include scalable systems, faster data processing and support for everyday human tasks. Challenges include ensuring safety, fostering collaboration and addressing social and economic impacts.

Her focus is on transportation: reducing traffic congestion, addressing personnel shortages and ensuring intelligent systems remain safe and trustworthy. She hopes to ensure that intelligent systems used in these applications remain safe and improve public trust in them.

Davidoff notes that technological skepticism isn’t new. “When we invented writing thousands of years ago, people were skeptical because they thought we wouldn’t be able to remember as much information anymore. When the internet was created, it was only intended for use by a relatively small group of people.”

Like humankind’s previous breakthroughs, she believes AI can enrich the world with net-positive impacts.

Modeling Any Kind of System

Davidoff credits her coursework as essential preparation. Computing Theory with Dr. Keith Garfield, EECS professor, reshaped her academic path, laying the groundwork in formal methods. Discrete Structures with Dr. David Bethelmy, associate professor of EECS, honed her use of propositional logic. And Ochoa’s Software Analysis and Design course taught her how to model any kind of system — lessons she still uses daily.

Find Your Niche

Under Ochoa’s mentorship, Davidoff developed her research niche: applying formal methods to AI/ML for aviation. Formal methods, unlike traditional testing techniques, use mathematics to guarantee systems meet requirements.

For her, the central concern is safety: “For my area of research, the biggest concern is ensuring the safety of the AI components. It’s imperative that these systems always remain within a safe state and avoid erroneous behavior.” 

Ochoa’s guidance has been pivotal, providing both structure and freedom to explore. Over three years, she contributed to projects like a drone workflow model submitted to the AFWERX Challenge, experiences that cemented her research path.

She also mentors students through the Aerospace Mentorship Program, giving back to the community that supported her. During her undergraduate years, she founded Embry‑Riddle’s Honors Book Club and regularly visited the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. She once cared for a hamster named Miskha, whom she fondly remembers.

Bonding at the Lab

Until senior year, Davidoff planned to enter the industry after graduation. Her shift to academia and pursuit of a Ph.D. came from funded undergraduate research, extracurriculars and supportive faculty. Her research team fosters both productivity and camaraderie, making the lab “fun and engaging.”

For Davidoff, the lab became more than a workplace — it became a second home, where collaboration and friendship fueled her confidence to pursue a Ph.D. “We have a friendly and productive dynamic that promotes learning and individual growth.”

These experiences, she says, were crucial in making her a competitive, well-rounded NSF fellowship applicant.

Lesson One: Make Time for Yourself

Success in any avenue of life involves more than sheer effort. Lasting success requires balance.

Davidoff shares her strategy:

1. List long-term priorities across your academic, professional and personal life.
2. Identify the most important goal for the week — even if it’s rest or recovery.
3. Accept that you can’t accomplish everything (at least at once). Reorder remaining goals, pushing lower ones forward as needed.

Davidoff emphasizes the importance of mental health for students, something she believes is not only acceptable but necessary.

She advises students to explore broadly — join clubs, attend talks, volunteer and discover passions yet unknown. “Most importantly, realize that you have interests and passions that you haven’t even discovered yet and go discover them!”

A Face-to-Face Advantage

Davidoff values Embry‑Riddle’s unique focus on aerospace and its supportive faculty. “It was always easy to talk to professors outside of class if I had any questions or needed advice on a project. That experience is hard to come by at larger universities.”

Davidoff is grateful to mentors at The Boeing Company — Dale Iwasa, Larry Pine, Adrian Quintero and Darren Cheung — as well as her academic advisor at Embry‑Riddle, who introduced her to undergraduate research.

Looking ahead, she aspires to continue her research, become a tenure-track professor and mentor the next generation of engineers. “I love mentoring and working with students, so a position as a professor is a dream of mine.”

Start Your Own Journey

Alexandra Davidoff’s path shows how dedication, empowered by the right support and guidance, can shape a career. She’s a model for future engineers who hope to make their mark in the world.

Are you ready to begin your own journey? Explore Embry‑Riddle’s degrees programs and learn how to become a computer engineer today.