Dr. Omowunmi Isafiade received both MSc and PhD degrees in Computer Science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and another masters level (PGDip) degree in Mathematical Sciences from the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), South Africa. Prior to joining the University of the Western Cape as a full-time academic, Dr Isafiade was a post-doctoral researcher under the National Research Foundation and the department of Science and Technology (NRF-DST) innovation fellowship. Her research interest spans data-driven decision support, pattern recognition and machine learning applications, as well as public safety in (emerging) smart cities, among others. She has authored an edited book entitled: Data Mining Trends and Applications in Criminal Sciences and Investigation published by IGI Global, USA (2016). She is currently leading a public safety project, which aims to assist policing in resource-constrained environments such as in developing nations. Dr Isafiade’s continued academic and research excellence has earned her various honours and awards, amongst which are the prestigious L’Oreal-UNESCO for Women in Science, an AIMS-DAAD PhD fellowship, Paul G. Allen Family Price, Golden Key International Honour Society award, which recognises top 15% achievers at UCT, Google Anita Borg (Women Techmakers) scholarship (Zurich, Switzerland), Grace Hopper Scholarship (USA), Heidelberg Laureate Forum and German Scholars Organisation (HLF- GSO) Grant, amongst others.