Greetings IAIER Supporters,

🎃 Happy Halloween!

We’ve had an incredible semester so far—filled with innovation, collaboration, and a little festive fun. Earlier this week, our AI Emerging Scholars hosted a creative Fright Fest celebration, and during Homecoming, we joined forces with the McNair Scholars for Ultimate Homecoming Chicken Wednesday. During this legendary event, we hosted an engaging AI Scavenger Hunt, where students took home prizes like the latest Apple Watch, AirPods, and charging banks.

It’s been a month full of AI—and we’re just getting started! As we move into our final full month of the semester, we’re thrilled to welcome Dell Technologies and NVIDIA to campus next week for a special engagement (seating is limited—RSVP below!). And don’t miss our final IAIER Book Club of the semester, featuring Afua Bruce, co-author of The Tech That Comes Next, joining us in person for an inspiring discussion.

We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events!

If you’re interested in donating, collaborating, or partnering on future IAIER initiatives, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your continued support as we advance our mission to make AI more accessible, impactful, and empowering for all.

Warm regards,

_{Siobahn Day Grady, Ph.D.}

At OpenAI’s Higher Education Guild Forum in San Francisco, Dr. Siobahn Day Grady represented both NCCU and IAIER on the national stage—serving as the only HBCU and North Carolina voice among presenters. Speaking inside OpenAI headquarters, Dr. Grady delivered her presentation, “Operationalizing the University with AI,” spotlighting how NCCU is transforming AI education through innovation and access.

The audience’s response was electric—leaders from across the country were eager to collaborate and model IAIER’s strategies on their own campuses. From the East Coast to the West Coast, IAIER made a lasting mark on the national AI conversation.

📍 San Francisco, CA | October 20, 2025
🚀 Milestone Moment: NCCU on the map at OpenAI HQ

The IAIER team attended IBM’s AI for Impact: Responsible AI in Higher Education Workshop, a powerful gathering that pushed educators to explore AI from every angle. The event focused on responsible innovation, ethics, and accountability, emphasizing how institutions can prepare students and faculty to use AI with purpose and integrity.

The workshop reinforced IAIER’s leadership in this space, reminding us how far we’ve come—and how much more there is to do. By engaging with thought leaders nationwide, the team left more inspired than ever to continue building an AI ecosystem rooted in awareness, responsibility, and impact.

📍 New York, NY | October 24, 2025
💡 Takeaway: We’re not just part of the conversation—we’re helping shape it.

This November, Dr. Siobahn Day Grady is taking the stage across North Carolina and beyond—sparking dialogue, inspiring innovation, and shaping the national conversation on the future of artificial intelligence. From Tucson to the Triangle, she’s sharing insights on how AI is transforming higher education, empowering women in tech, and redefining what it means to learn, lead, and live in the age of intelligent innovation.

Catch her at the FDW Exec Symposium: RTP Evolve, the NACDRAO Annual Conference at NC A&T, and the Women Lead NC Conference in Raleigh—each highlighting how AI can create smarter, more human-centered futures. More details about each engagement are below!

🪶 Native American Heritage Month: Honoring Roots, Inspiring Innovation

November invites us to reflect, celebrate, and honor the enduring contributions of Native peoples. Native American Heritage Month is a reminder that the pursuit of knowledge, innovation, and community has always been part of Indigenous tradition—long before the digital age.

At IAIER, we recognize that emerging technologies like AI build upon generations of wisdom, creativity, and resilience. As we look to the future of innovation, we also look to the lessons of the past: stewardship, balance, and connection.

💬 Language Revitalization: AI tools are helping to document, teach, and preserve Native languages through speech recognition, translation models, and community-built archives.

📸 Digital Preservation: Indigenous communities are using AI-powered tools to restore historical images, digitize archives, and safeguard stories for future generations.

🪴 Environmental Stewardship: AI can enhance land management and climate resilience efforts guided by traditional ecological knowledge—combining data and deep-rooted wisdom.

🤝 Meaningful Representation: Ensuring Indigenous voices actively shape and guide how AI systems are designed, trained, and applied—so that innovation supports cultural survival, self-determination, and community knowledge.

IAIER Surpasses 1,150 Lives Impacted!

From the IAIER x OpenAI Academy Summit and AWS Cloud Quest to Fright Fest’s Pumpkin Painting and our Ultimate Homecoming Chicken Wednesday, IAIER continues to expand its reach—engaging more than 1,150 students, faculty, and community members in AI-focused learning, opportunity, and innovation.

📊 By the Numbers
    •    388 students empowered through applied AI exploration
    •    431 faculty and staff engaged in research, teaching, and tech training
    •    337 community members brought into conversations on digital access

From classrooms to community spaces, IAIER is reshaping what collaborative innovation looks like—one event at a time.

📧 Want to partner or get involved? Contact us at [email protected]

Students are invited to join Adobe’s University Talent Team for an upcoming virtual session on Monday, November 17 at 12 PM PT. This event will introduce opportunities in engineering, machine learning, and research, offering a look at Adobe’s innovative approach to creative technology. Hosted in partnership with AnitaB.org, the session is a must-attend for anyone preparing to make their mark in tech.

🔗 Register here to reserve your spot!

The future is in good hands. This issue highlights the work of several IAIER Seed Grant Awardees and two of our Emerging Leaders who are pushing boundaries, creating new opportunities, and proving that innovation happens at every level. Their projects remind us that progress isn’t just an idea—it’s something we build together.

Led by Attorney Dana Jones, this interactive session tackled one of the most important topics in modern learning—the responsible and ethical use of AI in academics. Students and faculty explored real examples of acceptable and unacceptable AI practices, emphasizing integrity, transparency, and accountability. The session reinforced IAIER’s commitment to helping learners use technology as a tool for growth, not a shortcut.

💡 Key takeaway: “AI supports learning—it shouldn’t replace it.”

Principal Investigator: Dr. TinChung Leung

NCCU AI Survey - its opportunities, challenges, and impact:

The NCCU AI Working Group - Research Collaboration subgroup is seeking your input to help shape the next AI Symposium in Spring 2026: Your insights on AI—its opportunities, challenges, and impact.

To access the survey, please click here: AI Impression Survey

Please complete the survey by November 5, 2025.  The first 50 participants to complete the survey will receive a gift bottle (thanks to the support from RCMI Center for Health Disparities Research).

IAIER Emerging Leader Dr. Danielle Colbert-Lewis, Assistant Director of Library Services at James E. Shepard Memorial Library, and Mr. Sean Rogers, Coordinator of Evening Services Librarian, recently presented their poster “Preparing for AI: Navigating AI’s Role in Library Services” at the North Carolina Library Association’s 66th Biennial Conference in Winston-Salem, NC.

Their work highlighted how Shepard Library is helping staff build confidence and capability with emerging technologies. Through a series of in-house workshops, the team introduced library professionals to the opportunities and challenges of AI—equipping them with tools to enhance services, streamline operations, and strengthen the library’s connection to its community.

By embracing AI thoughtfully, Dr. Colbert-Lewis and Mr. Rogers are helping ensure that libraries remain relevant, innovative, and responsive in today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Principal Investigator: Dr. Jim C. Harper II, Interim Associate Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies
Department: History and School of Graduate Studies

Dr. Jim C. Harper II’s FRAP-supported project advances African American public history through the creation of a documentary trailer inspired by the newly released book With Faith in God and Heart and Mind: A History of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. This multimedia initiative combines oral histories, archival footage, drone cinematography, and AI-enhanced tools to document the fraternity’s century-long contributions to social justice, education, and leadership.

Recent Progress:
In October, Dr. Harper conducted video interviews with the book’s authors and captured B-roll footage at Morehouse College and the Annual Conference for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. These assets will support the production of a dynamic trailer showcasing the fraternity’s historical and cultural legacy.

Outcomes: Interview recordings, drone B-roll, and AI media hub setup for archival processing.
Next Steps: Selecting an undergraduate student to assist with capturing the voices of undergraduate members of Omega Psi Phi in leadership position both past and present. Editing the trailer.

Join Dell Technologies and NVIDIA for an immersive afternoon exploring how AI is transforming digital infrastructure, education, and the workforce. This interactive session will feature a Digital Human Demo, an AI Career Readiness Panel, and Financial Empowerment guidance to help you prepare for life after college.

From hands-on discussions about AI’s real-world applications to conversations on building career and life skills, this event bridges technology and human potential—showing how innovation can empower every step of your journey.

🔗 REGISTER HERE

📅 Date: November 5, 2025
🕛 Time: 12–3 PM
📍 Location: NCCU Student Center, Room 2201

The IAIER Book Club recently gathered for an engaging virtual discussion of Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. The conversation sparked meaningful dialogue about how data shapes our daily experiences and highlighted the importance of mindful innovation in technology.

Up next: The Tech That Comes Next by Amy Sample Ward and Afua Bruce. Join us on November 14 at 10:40 AM in the James E. Shepard Memorial Library (2nd floor) or via Zoom for another thought-provoking conversation about the future of technology and community impact.

Artificial intelligence isn't just about code — it's about people, power, and possibility. This book club is a collaborative effort with the James E. Shepard Memorial Library and the Office of Alumni Relations. To learn more and participate, register here.

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is accepting applications for the Aspirations in Computing Collegiate Award, which honors undergraduate and graduate students who have made technical contributions through research, coursework, or individual projects.

Winners receive $7,500, with additional prizes for finalists and honorable mentions, along with access to the NCWIT network and AiC Community—connecting them with mentors, resources, and career opportunities in computing and technology.

Applications close November 18, 2025, so we encourage students and peers to apply today!

🔗 Apply or learn more about the NCWIT AiC Collegiate Award

Early November is buzzing with activity at IAIER—fresh events, bold ideas, and exciting opportunities to connect. Explore what’s coming up and register through our Linktree. Here are a few highlights from the calendar:

Lock in and join us! View the PDF of our calendar of events, featuring clickable event titles that direct you to flyers and more information. Stay connected with us on our social media, which you can also find on our Linktree.