Nelson A. Colón Vargas, Ph.D.
Bridging AI, Policy, and the Public Good
"Though this be madness, yet there is method in't."
Also known as Nel Abdiel – musician, educator, technologist.
Biography
Nelson A. Colón Vargas is a multidisciplinary technologist working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and public service. His career spans academia, federal leadership, and creative expression — blending rigorous policy work with accessible, human-centered design.
He currently leads AI governance at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the largest civilian agency in the U.S., where he helps ensure responsible and rights-preserving AI development. He has held similar leadership roles at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the White House U.S. Digital Service, where he advised on AI strategy, oversight, and innovation policy.
Nelson also designed and taught the graduate course "Computing in Context" to graduate students at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and is currently teaching "Fundamentals of LLMs at North Carolina State University. His teaching emphasizes technical literacy, responsible innovation, and long-term societal impact.
In addition to his public sector, private sector and academic work, Nelson is a songwriter and performer under the name Nel Abdiel, using music as a medium for storytelling and public engagement. His belief that creativity is a bridge to accessibility informs how he approaches technology, education, and governance.
He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics and advanced degrees in Artificial Intelligence and AI Ethics from institutions including the University of Iowa, the University of Texas at Austin, and the University of Cambridge.
Experience
Public Sector
Department of Veterans Affairs
Dec 2023 – PresentResponsible AI Lead – Office of the Chief AI Officer
Lead AI governance for the largest civilian agency. Manage the agency-wide safety and rights impact review process for AI, and oversee policy and oversight design to align with VA's mission and public trust.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration
June 2023 – Dec 2023Artificial Intelligence Lead – Office of the Commissioner
Chaired the FDA AI Governance and Advisory Board. Contributed to AI policy efforts at HHS and the White House. Supported strategic initiatives like the White House Cancer Moonshot.
U.S. Digital Service
Nov 2021 – June 2023AI & Cybersecurity Lead – Executive Office of the President
Developed AI governance practices and cybersecurity tools in collaboration with the VA and Department of Defense. Ensured compliance with White House AI principles.
Presidential Innovation Fellows
Jan 2019 – Oct 2021AI Lead – Entrepreneur in Residence – White House
Led the development of the Claims Attributes API, reducing VA claims processing time and saving over $10M annually. Designed AI research funding frameworks at the Department of Transportation.
Private Sector
Microsoft
Feb 2018 – Jan 2019Data & Applied Scientist II – Redmond, WA / Humacao, PR
Developed ML-based time series anomaly detection tools for product and cloud security. Designed algorithms for intrusion detection and digital rights protection.
Soteria
June 2016 – Jan 2018Lead Data Scientist – Charleston, SC
Directed a team building an NLP-based phishing detection product. Applied language models to emerging cybersecurity threats.
Teaching
North Carolina State University
Lecturer (2025–Present)Data Science & AI Academy
- Course: Fundamentals of Large Language Models
- Emphasis on the technical architecture and applications of LLMs
Columbia University
Adjunct Faculty (2022–2024)School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA)
- Taught graduate courses on data science for policy and ethics
- Designed course, labs and supervised 5 graduate teaching assistants
- Focused on real-world applications and social impact
Education
University of Iowa
Ph.D., MathematicsDepartment of Mathematics
University of Texas at Austin
M.S., Artificial IntelligenceDepartment of Computer Science
University of Cambridge
M.St., AI, Ethics & SocietyLucy Cavendish College
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras
B.Sc., MathematicsDepartment of Mathematics
Publications
The Traveling Mailman: Topological Optimization Methods for User-Centric Redistricting
Under Review
View PublicationExploiting the Margin: How Capitalism Fuels AI at the Expense of Minoritized Groups
AI & Ethics, 2024
View PublicationFrobenius Algebras Derived From The Kauffman Bracket Skein Algebras
J. Knot Theory (2016)
View PublicationGenerative AI as a Tool for Enhancing ESL Students' Understanding
PHSU Journal, 2025
View PublicationMusic
Nelson performs under the stage name Nel Abdiel, writing and producing original songs that blend lyrical depth with rhythmic creativity. Based in the Miami area, he occasionally performs live and publishes work online.
Music helps him stay grounded — and it shapes how he communicates complex ideas through storytelling.