About Dr. Bastias

TEDx Alfonso Bastias

I am an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Data Science Program within the Department of Computer Science at the University of Colorado Boulder. My work sits at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and responsible innovation. Through teaching and applied research, I aim to prepare the next generation of data scientists not only with strong technical skills, but also with the critical thinking needed to navigate rapid paradigm shifts and the ethical challenges of AI in society.

My professional journey includes collaborations with organizations such as the National Regulatory Research Institute, the National Cooperative Highway Research Program, the U.S. General Services Administration, the Federal Highway Administration, the California Department of Transportation, the Construction Industry Institute, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These experiences strengthened my interest in applying data science and decision analytics to complex, real-world challenges in transportation, infrastructure, energy, and regulatory environments.

I developed the Strategic Decisions Method, a decision-support framework designed to compare risks, performance outcomes, and scenarios in ventures and capital projects. The approach integrates data analytics, expert judgment, structured methodologies, and simulation to support transparent, evidence-based decision-making.

A central theme in my work is the human–AI interface and the ethical implications of AI systems. I draw inspiration from philosophical and behavioral foundations, including Plato’s Allegory of the Cave and Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow, to connect enduring concepts about perception, reasoning, and cognitive bias to modern challenges in AI. I believe that understanding human judgment and bias is essential to designing and deploying responsible AI technologies.

As a software engineer and researcher, I have built multiple tools spanning decision support, analytics dashboards, educational technology, and simulation systems. Some are available for free use and others were developed for commercial and institutional applications.

  • ALBA AI is designed to empower companies by rapidly creating and evaluating strategic decision models, offering a significant competitive advantage. By seamlessly integrating into our proprietary decision-making methodology, Alba combines Large Language Models (LLM), advanced AI/ML algorithms, and the powerful Strategic Performance Engine (SPE) v3 to deliver highly accurate, context-specific decision support. This sophisticated AI engine understands the nuances of a company’s operational landscape, the complexities of its strategic choices, and the unique challenges it encounters.
  • CSRA interactive dashboard to calculate the Serious Injury and Fatality Exposure in a construction environment.  Technology: C#, Blazor, Syncfusion, .NET Core, Python (ML). See a video of the dashboard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o84d5DSdMc
  • The Construction Engineering Challenge: Inspiring Careers Through Artificial Intelligence. Prototype Technology C#, Xamarin.Forms, TensorFlow, NoSQL.
  • SPE: Strategy Performance Engine, a risk simulation tool to evaluate strategies, innovation in modeling of strategic decisions, and simulation process. Technology: C#, Blazor, Syncfusion, .NET Core, MongoDB, Proxmox Environment.
  • Arena:  A group management application for Android and iOS. Technology: C#, Xamarin.Forms/MAUI, NoSQL Cosmos DB, SignalR, Azure Functions, Python (ML). Published on the App Store and Google Play.
  • Boulder Dashboard: Law Enforcement Data Dashboard for Boulder County, Colorado - USA. Technology: C#, Python, Tensorflow, Blazor, .NET Core, MS SQL Server, Proxmox Environment.
  • LEONARDO: Learning Organization Rapid Diagnostic Tool. Technology: ASP.NET, MS SQL Server. Research Paper, Outstanding Paper Award Emerald LiteratiNetwork - 2008.
  • GPM: General Performance Model, a desktop application with more than 160,000 lines of code. Technology: C++, MFC, Prof-UIS. Research Paper.
  • THE PROGRAMMER: Project Control System for Engineering firms to control man-hours used and estimated to complete a project. Technology: ASP, MS SQL Server. After a ten-year cycle, it was migrated to SAP and integrated into FI/CO Modules.

My multicultural background and lifelong commitment to education—rooted in innovation, creativity, leadership, and excellence—drive my academic and professional growth. Throughout my career, I have embraced significant challenges alongside my colleagues, always striving for excellence.

I am proud to be a TEDx curator in two events in Chile. TEDxUDP :