Empowering OHIO’s future leaders: Graduate student AI@OU Exploration Series

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not just a buzzword but a driving force behind innovations across disciplines—from healthcare to finance, from engineering to the arts.

Recognizing the crucial role AI plays in shaping the future of education and work, a collaborative (AI@OU) of student support services is launching a co-curricular exploration series to equip Ohio University graduate students with practical AI knowledge.

University Libraries, the Graduate College, the Academic Achievement Center, and esteemed faculty have pooled their expertise and resources to create this series for students who are interested in learning about how AI will impact the work they do. The organizers have designed these sessions to examine a diversity of topics, from discovering how to productively manipulate AI to thinking critically about the potential benefits and drawbacks of these technologies.

The collaborative is proud to announce the inaugural series of Graduate Student AI@OU Exploration Series for the fall 2024 semester. There will be four sessions per offering, allowing flexibility to accommodate students’ schedules and interests. The first offering of the series will be Friday afternoons (1-3 p.m.) in September and the second offering of the series will be Wednesday evenings (7-9 p.m.) in October. Each session will cover a unique topic and will involve engaging discussions and hands-on activities. Students are free to attend as many or as few as they choose. The sessions will be available in the following timeframes. 

Register here for the Graduate Student AI@OU Exploration Series.

Series session details and times

Critical Thinking about AI: Ethics, Copyright, and Privacy Considerations

• Offering 1: Sept. 6, 1-3 p.m.  
• Offering 2: Oct. 2, 7-9 p.m. 

Prompt Engineering for Optimal Results

• Offering 1: Sept. 13, 1-3 p.m. 
• Offering 2: Oct 16, 7-9 p.m.

Exploring Different Generative AI Platforms: The AI Tool Matrix

• Offering 1: Sept. 20, 1-3 p.m. 
• Offering 2: Oct. 23, 7-9 p.m.

Real World Application

• Offering 1: Sept. 27, 1-3 p.m. 
• Offering 2: Oct. 30, 7-9 p.m.

The organizers will host all sessions in a hybrid format. Alden 251—a space designed to foster collaboration—will serve as the in-person meeting location, but students can join these sessions virtually if they prefer. The goal is to ensure that students can engage deeply with AI concepts and applications, however they opt to attend.

In conjunction with the Graduate Student AI@OU Exploration Series, the collaborative will also establish the AI@OU Canvas Community, where students are encouraged to cooperate, discuss, problem-solve, and share ideas and experiences concerning the rapidly changing technology and reach of AI. This online platform will serve as a hub for sharing resources, posing challenges and exploring the ethical implications of AI technology. Recordings of the Graduate Student AI@OU Exploration Series sessions will be available as well.

To be added to the AI@OU Canvas Course, you can register for the Graduate Student AI@OU Exploration Series sessions or email ai-ou@ohio.edu. 

All graduate students are invited to the sessions to unlock the potential of AI for the newest generation of leaders and innovators at Ohio University, giving Bobcats the power to shape tomorrow today.