Good morning, everyone, and welcome to SUNY Oswego’s AI professional development event.
It is truly exciting to see so many members of our campus community gathered here today to learn, explore and engage with one of the most transformative technologies shaping higher education and the future of work. The enthusiasm for this event has been remarkable. On the first day registration opened, we reached 78 registrations, and approximately 90 faculty and staff members submitted feedback and ideas through the interest form, which helped shape today’s sessions. That level of engagement reflects a campus community that is curious, innovative and eager to lead.
Before we begin, I would like to express my sincere thanks and recognition to everyone who helped bring this important event together. In particular, I want to acknowledge the AI Workgroup and, especially, the subcommittee that led the development of today’s program: Nicole Decker, David Kahn, John Kane and Theresa Gilliard-Cook. Their thoughtful planning and collaboration — along with feedback from the broader AI Workgroup — helped shape an event that reflects our campus community’s interests and needs.
I also want to thank the Campus Technology Services team for their support with technology, classroom and Zoom coordination, and event logistics. Finally, I want to recognize Nicole Decker and Mohammad Tajvarpour for their leadership as co-leads of the campus AI initiative and for helping to guide SUNY Oswego’s thoughtful approach to AI innovation and literacy.
Today’s event marks an important step in SUNY Oswego’s ongoing journey toward becoming an AI-enabled campus. As outlined in our campus AI vision, we are integrating AI technologies safely, ethically and sustainably across teaching, learning, research and administration, aligning with our values and strengthening student success.
This opportunity directly advances our AI literacy goals by equipping faculty and staff with the knowledge and confidence to thoughtfully engage with artificial intelligence in teaching and daily work. Our vision is not simply about adopting technology but about building a responsible AI culture that supports innovation, creativity, efficiency and ethical decision-making across campus.
This initiative also closely aligns with the "Thrive" driver in SUNY Oswego’s strategic plan, particularly the goal of investing in and implementing advanced technologies, including AI-powered solutions, that integrate seamlessly into university learning systems and everyday campus life while remaining inclusive, user-friendly and effective for all stakeholders.
Importantly, this work also supports SUNY Oswego’s ongoing efforts to modernize our curriculum and align it with workforce demands. As New York State continues to invest heavily in the rapidly expanding semiconductor and advanced manufacturing sectors, institutions of higher education must prepare students with the skills needed to thrive in this evolving economy. By increasing AI literacy and encouraging thoughtful integration of emerging technologies across disciplines, SUNY Oswego is helping ensure that our academic programs remain responsive to regional workforce needs and equip students for success in one of the nation’s fastest-growing innovation ecosystems.
We are especially pleased to partner with Kiker Learning for this training experience. Kiker Learning is the 2024 Google Cloud Specialization Partner of the Year in Education and has been a Google for Education partner for more than a decade, delivering professional development and technology training to educators nationwide. Their expertise and leadership make them an outstanding partner as we continue to build AI knowledge and capacity across our campus community.
Today’s program was intentionally designed to support a broad range of interests and experiences. There are two primary learning tracks: an instructional track tailored for faculty and a general productivity track open to all attendees. Participants are encouraged to attend the sessions that interest them most. One of the exciting aspects of AI is its interdisciplinary and interconnected nature, and we hope today sparks new ideas, collaborations and conversations across departments and divisions.
Most importantly, today is about exploration and possibility. Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, and institutions of higher education have an important responsibility, not only to understand these technologies but also to shape their ethical, responsible and creative use in service of our students and our mission.
Thank you for your willingness to learn together, your engagement in this important work, and for helping position SUNY Oswego as a thoughtful leader in AI innovation and education.
Enjoy your day, and thank you again for being here.
—President Peter Nwosu