A production-grade AI and technology program built on the Rao-Blackwell Theorem — the mathematics that makes AI possible. Students honor Dr. David H. Blackwell's legacy the right way: building real servers, deploying live AI models, and earning credentials that open doors to the careers shaping our world.
The Legacy
"Being of service to God and humanity means leaving the mathematics clean."
— Dr. David H. BlackwellDr. David Harold Blackwell (1919–2010) was the first African American inducted into the National Academy of Sciences and the first Black scholar to receive a permanent Harvard faculty appointment. For more than 30 years he taught at UC Berkeley, building a body of work that now underlies virtually every modern AI system.
Together with C.R. Rao — the legendary Indian-American mathematician and National Medal of Science recipient — Blackwell co-founded the Rao-Blackwell Theorem. Their combined mathematics is not theoretical. It is operational — executing billions of AI inferences per second in data centers around the world, right now.
This is not a coding bootcamp or a survey course. Students build and configure production AI servers, deploy open-source large language models, write software APIs, and ship a live AI application — all within 24 weeks.
The Curriculum
Every phase of the Rao-Blackwell Academy ends with a real deliverable — not an assignment, but a working piece of technology. 47 lessons covering hardware, networking, AI deployment, vibe coding with Claude Code, and MCP. Students graduate with a GitHub portfolio, a deployed AI application across their chosen capstone track, a program certificate, and a college application essay draft. The cohort community — weekly Show & Tell, shared channel, and pair programming — keeps students connected and accountable throughout.
AI history from Blackwell's game theory to modern transformers — including how minimax algorithms power NPC AI in games. Ethics, bias, and responsible development. Layer 1 of the BTW AI Architecture Framework: Prompt Engineering — the 5 Principles, platform-specific outreach templates, and the iteration cycle. Students apply prompt engineering immediately to a real mission: corporate sponsor outreach for The Benjamin Project.
Students physically build and configure production AI servers. macOS server setup, terminal fundamentals, user management, and system monitoring. Oral presentation: "Here is what I built — and here is the mathematician who made it possible."
ZeroTier VPN, SSH key authentication, firewall configuration, and access control. Students secure real production networks and understand how systems get compromised — including the DDoS attacks every gamer has experienced, and how studios defend against them.
How transformers work. Installing and running Ollama with Qwen, Llama, and Mistral locally. AI game companion lab — build an AI dungeon master or NPC system on your own server. Deep dive into how game studios use ML-trained agents. Prompt engineering skills from Layer 1 are applied here at the API and model level.
Python, FastAPI, Pydantic, SQLite, and async programming. Vibe coding with Claude Code and Cursor — generate, review, and ship. Advanced: build a Python MCP server and connect it to Claude Desktop as a callable tool. Pair programming throughout.
Three tracks: Standard — a production AI application solving a real problem. Game — an AI-powered game or game tool. Benjamin Project — an AI system built in service of The Benjamin Project and BWI Liberia (SolarWatch, AquaGuard, or BTW Network Connect). Teams design, build, and present at Demo Day. Dedicated career lesson: college application essays, GitHub portfolio for recruiters, and AI engineer salary ranges.
What's New in v4
Six additions that make the Rao-Blackwell Academy one of the most complete AI programs available at any level — high school or otherwise. Now anchored by the BTW AI Architecture Framework, a named six-layer curriculum structure students can navigate from Day 1.
Six named layers — from prompt engineering to production deployment. Every module maps to a layer. Students know exactly where they are in the stack and where they're going. Layer 1 (Prompt Engineering) is introduced in Week 1 and applied immediately to real corporate sponsor outreach for The Benjamin Project.
Dr. Blackwell's game theory → minimax → NPC AI → ChatGPT. Gaming is the entry point, not an add-on. Students who love games have always belonged in this curriculum — now that connection is explicit, from Lesson 3 through the Game capstone track.
Module 5's new lab teaches students to use Claude Code CLI and Cursor to generate production code from natural language — then review it critically using a 7-point checklist. The engineering skill of 2025 is directing AI. Students leave knowing both sides.
The optional Module 5 advanced lesson teaches Anthropic's open protocol for connecting AI to the real world — adopted by Slack, Replit, Notion, and 1,000+ connectors. Students who complete it wrap their Ollama API as an MCP server and connect it to Claude Desktop. Most developers learned this on the job.
Weekly Show & Tell, a shared cohort channel, and structured pair programming from Module 5 build peer relationships that drive completion rates — and make the capstone team dynamic work. The community opens before Week 1 orientation and persists after graduation as an alumni network.
Module 6 Lesson 6 is dedicated to translating what students built into language that opens doors: college application essays, GitHub portfolio structure, job titles this experience qualifies them for, and what AI engineers earn. Particularly designed for first-generation students who may not have this guidance at home.
Standard: Any AI application solving a real problem. Game: An AI-powered game or game tool — text adventure, NPC dialogue system, procedural generator. Benjamin Project: A real AI system deployed in service of BWI Liberia — SolarWatch, AquaGuard, or BTW Network Connect. Same rigor. Real-world mission.
The Connection
NVIDIA named its most powerful AI chip architecture the Blackwell GPU. It powers ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Claude, and every frontier AI model being built today. The mathematics Dr. Blackwell developed over 50 years ago is not in a textbook. It is executing billions of inferences per second, right now, in data centers around the world.
Students in this program will understand not just how to use these systems, but the statistical and probabilistic foundations that make them possible. That is a different kind of education — and a different kind of graduate.
Eligibility & Admissions
The pilot cohort is intentionally small. We are looking for students who are curious and committed — prior coding experience is not required. Whether your passion is gaming, entrepreneurship, or just understanding how the technology shaping your world actually works, there is a capstone track for you. Enrollment dates will be announced — express interest now to be notified first.
For School Administrators & Partners
Interested in bringing the Rao-Blackwell Academy to your school or district? Contact us directly to discuss partnership, curriculum licensing, and co-application for federal STEM grants.
leslie@iabadvisors.com →About the Program
The Rao-Blackwell Academy is a flagship initiative of IAB Advisors, Inc. — a Houston-based AI-native technology platform founded by Leslie Wilson, a 25-year veteran AI Architect with deep roots in institutional technology at Koch Energy, Enron, and KPMG/BearingPoint.
The curriculum runs on IAB Academy, a live, operational AI-powered education platform serving students in 130+ countries. Students in the Rao-Blackwell Academy receive the same infrastructure knowledge that powers IAB Advisors' production AI systems.
IAB Academy delivers the Rao-Blackwell Academy curriculum with AI-powered Smart Tutor support in 130+ languages, modular lesson structure, and completion certificates recognized by IAB Advisors.
IAB Advisors is a Delaware C-Corp building an AI-native financial services and education ecosystem, with 10+ production AI products deployed on its Edge Platform Suite.
