Thon Malek Garang Ok

Thon Malek Garang is a seasoned software engineer, AI researcher, and technology leader with over 13 years of consultancy and development experience in Africa’s emerging digital ecosystems. Currently leading two major AI-powered projects in South Sudan’s oil and gas sector, he leverages AI for operational optimization and predictive analytics. He is pursuing a PhD in Computer Science (AI) at UNISA and holds MSc degrees in Artificial Intelligence (Carnegie Mellon University) and Mobile Systems. Eng. Thon’s academic expertise is enriched by teaching roles, including lecturing MSc AI courses at University of Juba, Head of Department at Upper Nile University and teaching assistant at CMU. He has significantly contributed to international AI curriculum development, advocating for ethical and inclusive AI education across Africa. His diverse AI project portfolio includes computer vision for biodiversity, real-time predictive maintenance, NLP-based sentiment analysis, and decision-support systems in healthcare. Notably, he earned two international awards for AI applications in biodiversity and medicinal plant identification. His research is published in top-tier journals like IEEE, focusing on African-centric AI modeling. As founder of Dimmunity Computing Academy, WIRE, IMDS, and Spider Data, he fosters innovation, digital transformation, and inclusive education. Eng. Thon sits on boards influencing AI policy, software development, and ICT governance in Africa. With advanced certifications in ICT/AI, he is a respected advisor to institutions and governments, championing ethical, inclusive, and sustainable AI development for Africa’s digital future.