Events and Opportunities

[DavisAI] Distinguished AI Speaker Series: Interrogating AI

Dr. Nettrice R. Gaskins

African American digital artist, academic, cultural critic, and advocate of STEAM fields

Interrogating AI examines artificial intelligence not simply as a technological tool, but as a cultural, creative, and social system. The lecture explores how AI shapes—and is shaped by—human values, histories, biases, creativity, and power. Through critical examples and discussion, participants will consider questions of authorship, representation, ethics, agency, and the role of human creativity in an increasingly AI-mediated world. 

Dr. Nettrice R. Gaskins explores Afrofuturism and “techno-vernacular creativity,” or TVC for short. Her book, Techno-Vernacular Creativity and Innovation, is published through the MIT Press. She earned a BFA in Computer Graphics from Pratt Institute in 1992 and an MFA in Art and Technology from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1994. She received a doctorate in Digital Media from Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014. She is a 2021 Ford Global Fellow and is currently assistant director of the Lesley STEAM Learning Lab at Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Date and Time: Thursday, October 29, 2026, 7:00 pm

Location: Ostrove Auditorium, Diamond Building

Contact: DavisAI at davisaiadmin@colby.edu

RSVP HERE

Writing Department Pedagogy Lunch Series; Research, Writing, and Generative AI

How should we conceive of the college research essay in the age of AI? We hope to open up a broader conversation about AI in the classroom: What assumptions are we making about students’ AI use and their attitudes toward AI? What have been your experiences, positive or negative, with students using AI? What works and doesn’t work when it comes to developing an effective AI policy? How do ethical questions around AI use overlap with pedagogical considerations? We will also explore some of the existing research tools and frameworks that faculty might incorporate into research- and writing-related assignments.

Facilitators: Bonnie Page; User Experience Librarian, Sarah Sahn; Collections Strategies and Humanities Librarian, and Marcus Alaimo; Visiting Assistant Professor of Writing.

Date: Nov. 17

Time: 12:00-1:00pm (It’s okay to arrive late/leave early! Please get lunch in the Dana cafeteria beforehand and let them know you’re attending the Writing Department Pedagogy Lunch.) 

Location: Dana 042 (Bullock Room)

Registration: Register Here

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) 

[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