Dr. Asif Rasool is a Research Scientist at Southeastern Louisiana University’s Business Research Center (BRC) whose work connects applied economics, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI). He works at the intersection of traditional econometric methods and advanced machine learning models. In addition to research projects at the BRC, he focuses on applying research findings and AI in ways that make them accessible to the public.
Dr. Rasool leads applied research at the BRC, where he has developed interactive, cloud-based tools for regional stakeholders and communities. In his recent projects, he has transformed traditional academic-style economic impact studies into reusable simulators, coupled with custom-built AI agents, that enable stakeholders to conduct their own economic impact analyses. He also developed an economic research platform (Lion-IDE) powered by AI that allows students, researchers, and community members to perform independent economic analyses, eliminating the gap between domain experts and the general public.
Dr. Rasool possesses multidisciplinary expertise that ranges from econometric modeling, causal inference, and predictive modeling, as well as methods drawn from computer science. He has written papers on causal inference and published work in the field of agriculture applying unsupervised learning methods. At the BRC, he has applied these approaches to build a state-of-the-art uplift model and a platform that enables users with non-technical backgrounds to harness the power of advanced modeling for small and medium-sized businesses in the region.
Dr. Rasool has also demonstrated expertise in deep learning. He developed an AI-powered plant disease classifier, SmartField-LA, to identify strawberry diseases in Louisiana. The first phase of this project has been completed, and he is currently working on a grant proposal to support its implementation. In his previous position as a state economist at the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department, Dr. Rasool developed the state’s first oil and gas and corporate income tax forecasting models. He is now building similar models for the state of Louisiana at the BRC.
