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From the Director’s Desk:
Greetings IAIER Supporters,
As we approach Thanksgiving, we are filled with gratitude for each of you and the many ways you’ve poured into the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) this year. It’s been a remarkable fall semester—one full of engagement, innovation, and impact.
This fall, we:
Shared our “AI for All: All Fall Long” calendar, featuring over 10 engaging events in partnership with leading organizations.
Hosted our first-ever—and first-of-its-kind—AI Summit with OpenAI Academy (their inaugural AI Summit, too!).
Established our Student Advisory Board to elevate the student voice.
Formed an Internal Advisory Board to foster collaboration across NCCU units.
Launched an External Advisory Board to strengthen industry partnerships and ensure our students are prepared for the workforce.
Welcomed the inaugural cohorts of the AI Emerging Scholars, Leaders, and Practitioners programs.
Introduced our IAIER Seed Grant Program to fund campus-based AI innovation.
These accomplishments reflect the collective dedication of our students, faculty, partners, and supporters—none of this would be possible without you. As we move into finals, graduation, and the holiday season, we extend warm wishes for joy, rest, and renewal to all—and a special congratulations to our soon-to-be graduates! This is our final newsletter of the year, but stay tuned—there may be a few exciting updates ahead. If you’d like to donate, collaborate, or partner with us, please visit our website or reach out directly.
With gratitude,
Siobahn Day Grady, Ph.D.
Founding Director, Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) North Carolina Central University
Heels on the Ground: Leadership in Motion
Leading AI Literacy Across the UNC System
Dr. Siobahn Day Grady
Dr. Siobahn Day Grady has been named co-lead of the UNC System’s AI Foundational Skills Training Initiative, a groundbreaking program designed to strengthen artificial intelligence literacy for faculty and students across the UNC System’s seventeen universities.
The initiative, developed by the UNC System Office in collaboration with higher education and industry partners, will launch a systemwide AI skills module in 2026. The program aims to provide faculty with practical strategies for integrating AI into coursework and equip students with the essential skills to thrive in an evolving digital landscape.
Dr. Grady’s leadership helps ensure that North Carolina Central University—and HBCUs statewide—remain at the forefront of accessible, ethical, and innovative AI education.
IAIER In Motion
This section highlights the moments that keep IAIER moving—our events, our wins, and the places we’re showing up to share ideas, build connections, and push the conversation forward.
Haley Hickman & Dr. Clinton Griffin attending the IBM AI for Impact Conference
November 17, 2025 - “I recently attended the AI for Impact event at IBM RTP alongside our postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Clinton Griffin, and it was such an energizing and valuable experience. The conference brought together nonprofits, higher education professionals, and community-focused organizations dedicated to expanding access to resources for underrepresented groups - including women, seniors, people of color, and individuals reentering society after incarceration. The shared focus on responsible, community-centered innovation created a thoughtful environment for learning and collaboration.
Throughout the day, I participated in sessions that immediately sparked ideas for our work at IAIER. One workshop introduced “The Geek Way”, a problem-solving framework inspired by the book of the same name, emphasizing curiosity, experimentation, and systems thinking as tools for tackling complex challenges. I also attended a fantastic session on making ChatGPT and prompt generation work more intentionally for you - highlighting strategies to refine prompts, guide outputs, and leverage AI as a true partner in workflow design. And I’ll admit, I always love seeing what food different events put together, so the Southern barbecue lunch - with cornbread, greens, and potatoes - was definitely a memorable bonus. I left feeling inspired, well-fed, and excited to bring new strategies and insights back to our team.”
Haley Hickman, IAIER Executive Assistant
Chris Lawson, ASIS&T Conference
November 17, 2025 - Program Coordinator Christopher Lawson represented IAIER at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T) in Washington, D.C., presenting two publications that spotlight NCCU’s growing leadership in AI education and community-focused technology training.
His first presentation highlighted the Digital Empowerment Leadership Program (DELP), sharing practical lessons from delivering multilingual digital literacy training and device access across Durham. The second paper showcased IAIER’s early impact as the first AI institute launched at an HBCU, including key initiatives such as Soaring Conversations, AI Literacy Labs, and the IAIER Seed Grant Program.
Throughout the conference, Chris connected with researchers and practitioners from across the country, sharing IAIER’s approach to preparing learners for an AI-driven future and building new avenues for collaboration.
IAIER’s presence at ASIS&T reflects the strong momentum behind its research, programming, and partnerships heading into 2026.
Monthly Heritage & Awareness Spotlights
Gratitude in Innovation: Honoring Progress and Community
As we pause to celebrate Thanksgiving, we reflect on the power of gratitude within innovation. At IAIER, we know that even the smartest technologies are only as strong as the people who build, teach, and share them. Just as AI learns from collaboration, our progress thrives on connection — the exchange of ideas, experiences, and creativity across our campus and community.
This season, we’re thankful for:
🦅 Our students, faculty, and staff who turn imagination into impact.
🤝 Our partners who open doors and expand access to opportunity.
💡 Our community, whose curiosity drives us to keep creating and sharing.
From all of us at IAIER — thank you for helping us prove that AI is for everyone, and that innovation, like gratitude, grows when it’s shared.
IAIER Thanksgiving Traditions 🦃
The holiday season is officially here, and the IAIER team knows how to celebrate—with food, flavor, and a lot of personality. Here’s a peek into some of the beloved Thanksgiving traditions happening across our team:
Dr. Grady brings sweetness to the season with her annual apple-pecan cake with warm caramel glaze, inspired by the That Oven Feelin recipe everyone raves about. It’s rich, cozy, and exactly what a holiday table should feel like.
Dr. Griffin shows off his baking chops with a sweet potato cheesecake that has quickly become legendary. Creamy, spiced, and baked to perfection—there’s never a slice left when he’s around.
Dr. Drew pulls up in style each year with handpicked dishes from the best local restaurants, ensuring the table is stacked, delicious, and taste-tested by the best.
Chris brings a full Southern buffet to the party: mac and cheese, smoked turkey, parmesan garlic corn on the cob, meatloaf, deviled eggs—the works. It’s always traditional, always comforting… and Hazel (his Schnauzer) may or may not get a secret holiday bite of something good.
Jamaul is a budget analyst by day and a full-time family chef by night, making magic in the kitchen for every holiday. As the official photographer of his own dishes, he makes sure to capture everything before the feast—because as he says, “once Grandma blesses the food, it’s a free-for-all.”
Nicole treats Thanksgiving like the culinary Super Bowl. She arrives hungry, focused, and ready to conduct a full flavor analysis on every dish in sight. No apron needed — just an empty stomach and the confidence of a certified food critic.
Haley cooks for her entire family every holiday, with two dishes that her family asks for every year: her Italian sausage stuffed squash and her gingerbread truffles (made with crushed gingersnaps). Here’s her recipe for the beloved stuffed squash:
Wherever and however you celebrate, we hope your Thanksgiving is full of good food, good people, and a well-deserved moment to recharge. ❤️
Measured Momentum: Check The Numbers
Since launching on Beehiiv this fall, The IAIER Pulse has sparked steady growth and engagement across the NCCU community — connecting readers to innovation, research, and impact from The Nest to the national stage.
📬 Total Subscribers: 1,473 and growing
📈 Average Open Rate: 75.5%
💡 Average Reach: 1,140 impressions per issue
🏆 Top Performing Issue: “Fueling What Comes Next” (Vol. 2, Issue 3) — leading with a 78.9% open rate and over 1,150 impressions.
With more than 5,696 total impressions since launch, the newsletter continues to expand its digital footprint — reaching new audiences, driving engagement, and amplifying IAIER’s mission to ensure that AI is for everyone.
Want to collaborate or get involved? Contact us at [email protected]
AI in Action: Emerging Practitioners
Where learning turns into practice—this section highlights the workshops and training opportunities shaping AI readiness across campus.
The Office of Faculty Professional Development (OFPD) has partnered with IAIER to launch the AI Emerging Practitioners Program, empowering NCCU faculty to integrate AI into their teaching and research.
Through the AI Quick Study Series by the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE), faculty explore how artificial intelligence can enhance instruction, streamline workflows, and support student success. Each of the six interactive modules—covering topics like Generative AI, Prompt Writing, Teaching with AI, and Empowering Students to Use AI Responsibly—offers a digital badge upon completion.
To date, 120 NCCU faculty members have completed the series and are recognized as AI Emerging Practitioners, with another 120 currently enrolled. Their progress represents a major step toward building AI literacy and leadership across the university.
This update was provided by Dr. Laurell Malone, Coordinator, Office of Faculty Professional Development.
IAIER Innovators
This issue, we’re highlighting the people advancing IAIER’s mission—from emerging scholars to faculty researchers and internal advisory board members. Their work reflects the creativity, expertise, and forward-thinking leadership driving AI at NCCU.
Empowering Her Future Through AI Learning and Leadership
Felecia Casey-Hicks
As an IAIER Emerging Scholar, Felecia Casey-Hicks is turning curiosity into capability. Her journey blends hands-on learning with meaningful industry connections—proof that access to AI education opens real-world doors.
Felecia has earned multiple digital credentials, including IBM SkillsBuild’s Getting Started with Artificial Intelligence certificate and Build Your First Chatbot badge, as well as the AWS Educate Cloud Computing 101 badge through Dr. Gabriel Peterson’s Communication Science class. She also completed the Dell Technologies GenAI badge, advancing her understanding of generative AI.
Through IAIER, she’s participated in virtual and on-campus events with leaders from OpenAI, Google, Adobe, IBM, AWS, and Dell Technologies, building confidence and community in equal measure. Recently, she connected with Dell innovators Briana Faulk and Kevin Moore during the Carolina Women+ in Tech event at Dell’s Research Triangle Park campus—an experience that continues to shape her vision for the future of AI.
Internal Advisory Board Spotlight: AI at the Frontiers of Discovery
Dr. Kevin Williams, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences at BRITE, recently represented NCCU at the American Association for Cancer Research’s AI and Machine Learning Conference in Montreal, Canada. His presentation, “Accelerating Drug Discovery at BRITE with AI/ML,” highlighted how his lab—working in collaboration with Internal Advisory Board member Dr. Weifan Zheng—is using text mining, computational modeling, and drug repurposing strategies to identify potential treatments for rare cancers with limited therapeutic options.
This work showcases the depth of expertise within IAIER’s Internal Advisory Board and reflects the powerful role advanced computational approaches can play in expanding possibilities across biomedical research.
IAIER Seed Grant Awardee Spotlight
Project Title: Assessing the Role of Public Libraries in Supporting AI Learning
A short research paper titled “Artificial Intelligence in Libraries: A Systematic Review of Upskilling, Challenges, and Future Research Directions” has been accepted for presentation at iConference 2026 and publication in the conference proceedings. iConference is a leading venue in the Information Science field, with a highly competitive review process—this year, only 42% of short research papers were accepted.
The project’s principal investigators are Dr. Erezi Ogbo-Gebhardt and Dr. Agnes Pearcy, assistant professors in the School of Library and Information Sciences. Co-authors include Joseph Wiggins and Yerika Jimenez from Katabasis Inc.
Dr. Erezi Ogbo-Gebhardt
External Advisory Board
We’re thrilled to welcome the newest leaders joining the IAIER External Advisory Board—an incredible group of innovators, analysts, founders, strategists, and builders shaping what’s possible in AI today. Their expertise spans industry, research, education, policy, and emerging technology, and they’ll play a key role in guiding IAIER’s growth as we expand programs, partnerships, and opportunities across NCCU.
Get to know the leaders helping us chart the path forward.
Alex Nawar, OpenAI Academy
Alex Nawar leads OpenAI Academy, an AI literacy initiative that equips educators, nonprofits, small businesses, and community leaders with practical AI training and resources. Before launching the Academy, he managed global nonprofit partnerships within OpenAI’s Global Affairs team, and previously served in leadership roles with GiveDirectly, OpenResearch, and Innovations for Poverty Action. He holds a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science from Boston University.
The Future’s Loading…
Early 2026 is packed with fresh activity at IAIER—new sessions, bold conversations, and hands-on opportunities to learn and connect. Explore what’s coming up and register through our Linktree. Here’s what’s ahead:
🧠 Anthropic MCP Lecture
📅 Jan. 21 | ⏰ 12 PM | 📍 TBD
Join us for an engaging and thought-provoking presentation on Model Context Protocol (MCP) Governance—a rapidly evolving framework shaping how AI systems communicate, coordinate, and make decisions. Gabriel Nicholas brings experience presenting this topic in various professional settings, offering insights that resonate with legal scholars, technologists, and anyone exploring the future of AI governance.📚 AI Book Club
📅 Jan. 22 | ⏰ 6 PM | 📍 Zoom
Join us as we explore Imagination: A Manifesto by Ruha Benjamin—a sharp and compelling look at how creativity shapes the technologies and systems around us. This session will dig into how imagination drives innovation, sparks new ideas, and helps us think differently about the future of AI.🍽️ Lunch with LinkedIn Learning
📅 Jan. 28 | ⏰ 12 PM | 📍 Zoom
Join us for a quick, virtual Lunch & Learn to explore what LinkedIn Learning has to offer. We’ll walk through the platform, highlight its features, and showcase some of the AI-focused courses available to students, faculty, and staff. Whether you’re looking to build new skills or strengthen what you already know, this session is a great way to get started. Bring your lunch, log in, and learn something new!💼 FICO Lunch & Learn
📅 Feb. 5 | ⏰ 10AM - 1PM | 📍 NCCU Student Center
Join us for an insightful Lunch & Learn featuring Dr. Scott Zoldi, Chief Analytics Officer at FICO. Dr. Zoldi will break down the latest AI developments in financial services, including cutting-edge approaches to fraud detection and the evolving role of data science in today’s workforce. He’ll also share details about the FICO® Educational Analytics Challenge and what opportunities it opens for students and researchers.📚 AI Book Club
📅 Feb. 12 | ⏰ 10:40 AM | 📍 Room 212, J.E. Shepard Library
Join us for our next AI Book Club session as we dive into Genesis: Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit. This book takes a thoughtful look at how AI intersects with creativity, belief, and what it means to be human in a rapidly changing world. We’ll explore its big questions, surprising insights, and what it all means for the future of AI.⚙️ CDW x IAIER Copilot Training: Accelerate Your AI Skills
📅 Feb. 26 | ⏰ Half-day | 📍 NCCU Student Center
IAIER is partnering with CDW to offer hands-on Copilot training sessions designed for students, faculty, and staff. These workshops introduce practical ways to use Microsoft Copilot for learning, teaching, research, and campus operations—ranging from study support and course design to workflow automation and data-aware prompting. The day includes live demos, interactive labs, and guided practice with prompt crafting and citation integrity. Whether you’re boosting productivity or exploring new AI tools, this training offers a high-impact introduction to Copilot’s capabilities across campus.🫱🏻🫲🏽 IAIER x Deloitte AI Summit
📅 Mar. 26 | ⏰ Half-day | 📍 NCCU Student Center
Join us for the NCCU x Deloitte AI Summit, a high-energy day featuring a keynote from the Chancellor and Dr. Siobahn Day Grady, career insights on AI in business, a leadership session with Tasha, an intro to AI literacy and use cases, an interactive prompt-engineering workshop, and a panel with faculty and Deloitte experts. Don’t miss this campuswide deep dive into the future of AI.📚 AI Book Club
📅 Mar. 17 | ⏰ 6 PM | 📍 Zoom
Join us as we explore Joy Buolamwini’s Unmasking AI, a compelling look at the hidden flaws, challenges, and surprises behind the technologies we use every day. This book offers sharp insights into how AI systems are built, how they succeed, and where they fall short. Our discussion will dig into the stories, questions, and discoveries that make this an essential read for anyone curious about the future of AI.🎓 IAIER Showcase
📅 Apr. 30 | ⏰ 3–6:30 PM | 📍 NCCU Student Center
Join us for the IAIER Emerging Scholars & Emerging Leaders Showcase, an event highlighting the outstanding work our student researchers have completed throughout their time with us. Attendees will have the chance to explore white papers, review research posters, and hear directly from our scholars as they share the data, insights, and innovations they’ve gathered this semester. This showcase celebrates student achievement, curiosity, and growth—offering a first look at the ideas shaping the next generation of AI thinkers at NCCU.
📌 Coming Soon: Grammarly, Dell, IBM, AWS
Ready to plan your semester? Download the PDF calendar below, circle your favorites, and stay tuned — more details are on the way. Keep up with us on social through our Linktree so you never miss a beat.
Let’s Connect the Right Way
IAIER and Dr. Siobahn Day Grady are busier than ever—and we love it! To help manage requests efficiently and ensure timely responses, we’ve streamlined the way to connect with us.
Whether you’re requesting a meeting, interview, partnership, or speaking engagement, please use our official request forms available at 👉🏽 nccu.edu/iaier.
This helps us keep communication flowing smoothly and makes sure every inquiry gets the attention it deserves.
✅ Pro tip: Bookmark the link. The forms are quick, easy, and go straight to the right team—no more email pileups!