Executive Director, Dr. Bert Little
Background
Bert Little holds an earned doctorate from the University of Texas-Austin with concentrations in physical anthropology and applied mathematics. His dissertation was quantitative genetic analysis of growth among the shortest people in the Americas, Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, southern Mexico.
He and his Ph. D. mentor (Dr. Robert M. Malina) have researched and published more than 50 papers on the genetically isolated village that was the subject of Bert’s dissertation research. His applied mathematics mentor (Dr. Gerry Shea) and Dr. Little are currently doing research in multivariate anomaly detection in satellite and other sensor data.
Current Research
Bert continues to work in applied mathematics, and is the Executive Director of the Center for Agribusiness Excellence (CAE). CAE is a data mining and data warehouse facility devoted to research for the USDA Risk Management Agency’s crop insurance program which covers $110 billion in liability annually insuring 322 million acres of more than 144 crops. In this project he continues to work with his applied mathematics mentor (Dr. Gerry Shea, Director-Emeritus, Exxon Mobil Research). The project, which began in 2000, has saved the US government more than $1.5 billion (2000-2007). It has been recognized by the US Congress (Congressional Commendation, Manager's Report, 2002 Farm Bill) and the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (2010). The strategic research currently underway is to use satellite sensor data to assist in crop insurance claim analysis.
Bert also serves as Executive Director of the CIMS operations, defining the direction of future research, providing technical assistance, planning strategically to maintain funding streams, acts as a liaison with USDA RMA, represents CIMS before the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Agriculture.
Appointments
Associate Vice President for Academic Research and Grants
Professor of Computer Science and Mathematics
Departments of Mathematics, and of Physics and Engineering
Director of the Texas Engineering and Experiment Station (TEES)
Executive Director, Center for Agribusiness Excellence (CAE)
Executive Director, Comprehensive Information Management Systems (CIMS) Project
Chief research Officer- Tarleton, Texas A&M University System