Events and Opportunities

[DavisAI] Distinguished AI Speaker Series: Award-Winning Author Karen Hao

Join DavisAI for an inspiring evening with award-winning author Karen Hao!

Karen Hao is a bestselling author and award-winning reporter covering artificial intelligence. She was the first journalist to profile OpenAI and wrote a book, EMPIRE OF AI, about the company and the AI industry. It was an instant New York Times bestseller, Sunday Times bestseller, New York Times notable book, and winner of six awards, including the National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction.

In 2025, Time magazine honored her on its TIME100 AI list, writing, “Empire of AI instantly struck a cultural nerve… Hao is fundamentally shaping many people’s perceptions and understanding of the company at the center of the AI revolution.”

Registration Required: Reserve your spot on Eventbrite by Thursday, Oct 15 at 5:00 PM. 

In-Person Only: This event will NOT be recorded or available for live-streamed online. Bring a valid student or government-issued ID for entry. Seats are limited—secure your spot today! 

Date and Time: Friday, October 16 at 7:00 PM

Location: Lorimer Chapel

Overflow Stream: Lovejoy 100

Book Signing & Reception: The Spa, Page Commons, Colby College

EMPIRE OF AI will be available for purchase

Contact: DavisAI at davisai@colby.edu

[DavisAI] Upcoming "Bagels & Bots" Sessions with the Davis Institute for AI

The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence invites you to join us for our upcoming Bagels & Bots sessions, which will be located in Olin Collaborative space (formerly Olin Library). 

Bagels & Bots is an ongoing discussion series designed to create a collaborative space for faculty and staff to share, discuss, and explore their current research and the evolving role of AI. RSVP HERE

Contact: DavisAI at davisai@colby.edu

[DavisAI] Fall 2026 Creativity Hackathon at Bowdoin College

This year’s Creativity Hackathon at Bowdoin College invites students of all backgrounds (not just CS majors!) to collaborate and create at the intersection of art and tech. Participants will present their work to each other, visiting alumni, and a panel of industry judges for live feedback and accolades.

Theme: Creativity – Work together and make, remix, express, or invent

Partners: Bowdoin, Bates, Colby – Meet and work along with Bowdoin classmates, alumni and fellow Maine college students

Who Can Join? – Everyone! No coding background required

Schedule:

• 8:00 AM – Light Breakfast & Introduction

• 9:30 AM – Idea Forming + Pitches + Deciding on Your Working-Group

• 10:30 AM – Build-Time begins! Work solo or in teams

• 3:00 PM – Prepare Presentations

• 4:00 PM – Project Showcases. Share what you built, researched, or made for our Industry judges and visiting alumni

What is Provided

• Brunch

• New collaborative partners

• Mentorship from artists and tech-industry professionals

• VR Headsets (for use)

• The Maker Studio (for use)

• AI tools

What to Bring & Expect

• Laptop (required) — Bowdoin LibreChat access provided

• Your curiosity — no prior coding experience needed

• A creative project you’re eager to try

• Optional: sketchbook, instrument, writing samples, datasets

Interested in attending? Register through this link (or scan the QR code in the poster) to Handshake with your Colby account.

Date and Time:  9/19/26 8:00 am to 9/19/26 5:00 pm

Location: Daggett, Thorne Hall, Bowdoin College

Contact: DavisAI at davisai@colby.edu

Share a Little, Learn a Lot: Teaching in the Age of AI (Roundtable)

Whether you’re incorporating AI into your curriculum, adapting pre-existing assignments, or not sure what the best routes for your classes are, your perspective is essential to cultivating community wisdom around AI at Colby. Join your colleagues for 1, 2, or all 3 of these casual monthly roundtables to talk about what’s on your mind. Share a little, learn a lot. No preparation required. Register here

Date and Time: 

• Tuesday, September 15, 12:30-1:30pm 

• Wednesday, October 21, 12-1pm 

• Thursday, November 12, 12:30-1:30pm 

Location: Camp Room (Dana 044)

Sponsor: Center for Teaching and Learning & Davis Institute for AI

Contact: Jordan Troisi (jdtroisi@colby.edu) or Ryan Bloom (ebloom@colby.edu)

[CTL] Teaching and AI Drop-In Work Sessions (Open Work Sessions)

Still trying to figure out just what AI means for your teaching (assignment descriptions, course policies, etc.)? Register, or just come by the CTL for one or many drop-in sessions this fall to co-work with your colleagues and the CTL. Share ideas with others, hear new perspectives, and simply make progress on the tasks that need doing when it comes to AI and your teaching. Register here

Date and Time: 

• Wednesday, September 16, 1-2pm 

• Tuesday, September 29, 1-2pm 

• Thursday, October 15, 1-2pm 

• Wednesday, October 28, 1-2pm 

• Tuesday, November 10, 1-2pm 

• Thursday, December 3, 1-2pm 

Location: Eustis 103 (The Center for Teaching and Learning)

Sponsor: Center for Teaching and Learning

Contact: Jordan Troisi (jdtroisi@colby.edu) 

[CTL] Designing “AI-Resistant” Assignments (Workshop)

For some courses, use of AI might compromise student learning, which means that existing assignments may need a refresh. This workshop explores assignment frameworks that tend to resist student use of AI and provides a forum for participants to share ideas for such assignments across all disciplines. Register here

Date and Time: 

• Thursday, September 24, 3:00-3:50 PM 

• Friday, September 25, 3:00-3:50 PM 

Location: Grossman 209

Sponsor: Center for Teaching and Learning

Contact: Kathy Hansen (khansen@colby.edu) 

[DavisAI] Student Research Assistants 2026-2027

The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence (DavisAI) is looking for motivated student researchers to join our interdisciplinary team. We want students from all academic disciplines to help us bridge the gap between technical expertise and real-world innovation.

Applications received by Tuesday, May 12th will be given equal consideration. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis thereafter.

What you’ll do:

• Conduct research or build projects tailored to your own interests.

• Engage the Colby community and beyond in vital discussions about AI.

• Enable engagement with DavisAI external partnerships (locally, nationally, and/or internationally)

• Explore diverse topics like:

  • Deep Learning, NLP, and Computer Vision.

  • User experience and survey instruments.

  • Writing opinion pieces on the impact of AI on education and society.

The Details:

• Pay: $15.60 per hour.

• Commitment: 5–6 hours per week during the academic year.

• Who: Open to all years—no prior coding experience required!

APPLY NOW

Contact: Leslie Lima at davisai@colby.edu

[DavisAI] Partner with DavisAI to Bring Expert Speakers to Campus

The Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence (DavisAI) is pleased to offer a new opportunity to enhance our campus conversation around the evolving role of AI across all disciplines.

We are offering funding for speaker stipends and expenses for experts you recommend from your fields of interest who have engaged meaningfully with AI. Whether through evening talks, classroom visits, or specialized student-faculty engagements, we want to support the presence of experts who matter to you.

If your speaker is selected, the DavisAI Institute will provide financial support for these engagements.

To submit your speaker suggestions, please complete our DavisAI Speaker Recommendation Form.

Contact: Leslie Lima at davisai@colby.edu