The College of Engineering and Computer Science at Florida Atlantic University is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Journal of Big Data, an open-access publication co-founded by faculty members Borko Furht, Ph.D., and Taghi M. Khoshgoftaar, Ph.D. Both serve as editors-in-chief and are recognized for their roles in advancing research within the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
In recognition of this milestone, Furht and Khoshgoftaar have published an editorial in the current issue titled “Data Science, Big Data, and Machine Learning are Coming of Age.”
The journal was launched in 2014 through a partnership with SpringerOpen. It was among the first academic journals to focus exclusively on big data research. The Journal of Big Data is now ranked first globally among peer-reviewed publications in its field.
Google Scholar metrics show that the journal has an h5-index of 79 and an h5-median of 191. These figures place it ahead of many established journals in data science, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.
“When we founded the Journal of Big Data, our goal was to create a scholarly home for the future of data-driven discovery,” said Furht. “More than a decade later, the journal has become a global destination for breakthrough research – from Nobel laureates to Turing Award recipients. Its success is a testament to the strength of our vision, the caliber of our contributors, and the impact Florida Atlantic University continues to make on the world stage.”
Since its inception, hundreds of articles by academics and industry professionals have been published in the journal. In 2024, a two-part special issue titled “Computationally Intensive Problems in General Math and Engineering” included work from various scientific fields such as genomics, earthquake engineering, aerospace studies, geophysics, and construction based on natural principles.
The special issue featured lead articles authored by Nobel Prize winners Jean-Marie Lehn, Konstantin Novoselov, and Dan Shechtman. The content highlighted methods like Tensor Calculus and AI-based algorithms that link big data research with applied mathematics and engineering challenges.
“The Journal of Big Data has grown into a premier platform for cutting-edge, interdisciplinary research that addresses some of the world’s most complex challenges,” said Khoshgoftaar. “Its rise reflects the confidence the global research community has placed in our editorial leadership, and the strength of FAU’s position in the data science and AI landscape. It has been incredibly rewarding to see the journal evolve into a hub for impactful discovery, and I look forward to continuing to shape its future.”
Furht’s career includes roles as researcher and consultant across areas such as multimedia systems and cloud computing. He has led projects funded by agencies including NSF (https://www.nsf.gov/), NIH (https://www.nih.gov/), NASA (https://www.nasa.gov/), Office of Naval Research (https://www.nre.navy.mil/), IBM (https://www.ibm.com/), Google (https://research.google/) ,and Apple (https://www.apple.com/) totaling more than $30 million. He also edits another academic journal focused on multimedia tools.
Khoshgoftaar is one of Florida’s most cited computer scientists with over 76,000 citations according to Google Scholar metrics (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=example). His work covers topics like healthcare informatics and cybersecurity; he leads FAU’s Big Data Training Lab supported by NSF funding.
Both scholars have contributed significantly to raising FAU’s international profile through speaking engagements at major conferences.
“The Journal of Big Data’s extraordinary success is a reflection of the innovation, leadership and global influence of our faculty,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean at FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Professors Furht and Khoshgoftaar had the foresight to launch a journal that now shapes the direction of an entire field. Their achievement speaks volumes about the strength of our research enterprise and our college’s commitment to producing knowledge that drives technological progress and meaningful societal impact.”
