David M. Goldberg

I'm an associate professor (tenured) at San Diego State University (SDSU). I study how machines interpret human language through AI, machine learning, and text mining. My work integrates these methods into decision support systems that make sense of unstructured text data. A central application of this research is risk analysis and product safety, where I develop methods to identify hazardous and defective products using large-scale text data such as online reviews and social media.

I teach courses in Python programming and database systems, with an emphasis on hands-on, real-world applications. My teaching focuses on helping students build practical skills in software development, systems analysis, and data science.

I'm currently the principal investigator on a California Learning Lab-funded project focused on understanding the adoption, challenges, and opportunities of integrating AI in higher education. Previously, I led a federally funded project with the US Navy, applying AI and text mining to identify equipment failure risks.

I serve as an AI Faculty Fellow with SDSU's IT Division, helping the university explore responsible and effective adoption of AI.

I earned my bachelor's and doctoral degrees from Virginia Tech, where I was supported by the Richard E. and Carol A. Sorensen Fellowship.

Previously, I worked as a technical contractor for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), developing 3D building datasets for proprietary site selection software.

In my spare time, I'm a soccer and baseball fan with a passion for sports analytics. I enjoy Rubik's cube speedsolving, darts, and board games. Finally, I also love spending time with my cats, Duck and Goose.