Breakout Session 3

Do you dream of being a news reporter or creating content online? Then this panel is for you! In this panel, we will explore the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and media. Students will learn more about the practical applications of AI tools, ethical considerations surrounding their use, and the evolving landscape of journalistic integrity in an AI-driven era. Experts will offer unique perspectives about how AI is reshaping workflows, helping create online content, influencing audience engagement and challenging traditional news gathering practices.

About the Panelists:

Linda Hoang - Linda Hoang is one of Alberta’s most well-known content creators and social media strategists, with a background in television broadcasting and journalism. As a strategist, she has developed strategies and content plans for businesses, organizations and government large and small, and has delivered social media training to hundreds of participants. As a content creator, she is a writer, videographer, creative director, photographer all in one—producing engaging content that sells and sparks conversations. Linda is the founder of the Edmonton International Cat Festival, the first of its kind in Canada when it began in 2014, the co-founder of Stop Race Based Hate, a free anti-racist education tool, and the inaugural recipient the Edmonton Tourism Best Influencer Award. 

Mark Iype - Mark Iype is the Deputy National Editor and Alberta Bureau Chief of The Globe and Mail. He is responsible for reporters working from Atlantic Canada to Alberta, where they cover everything from politics to arts to sports. Prior to joining The Globe in 2021, he was the Managing Editor at Global Edmonton, and before that the City Editor then Editor in Chief of the Edmonton Journal. Originally from New Brunswick, Mark has lived across the country and started his career working in Ottawa as a national reporter.

Paul Moore - As the CBC News Senior Adviser for Journalistic Standards and Language, Paul Moore works with editorial leaders and journalists across the country to ensure everything published and broadcast by CBC News adheres to the principles of the corporation’s Journalistic Standards and Practices (JSP): fairness, accuracy, balance, impartiality and integrity. He is also a member of the CBC News AI Steering Committee, which is helping to guide the CBC’s approach to AI as it relates to journalism with a constant focus on audience trust and transparency. Paul is based in Alberta and spent many years as CBC Edmonton’s Executive Producer of News.

Kim Smith - With more than a decade of experience in journalism and communications, Kim is a storyteller who enjoys connecting with communities and sharing meaningful content. She works as a communications consultant at Edmonton Public Schools, where she works in media relations, crisis communications and social media management. Kim spent years in newsrooms as a reporter and anchor, including at Global Edmonton, Global Calgary, Global Regina, CTV Edmonton and CHED. Known for her calm under pressure and ability to find compelling local stories, her work has been recognized with industry awards. She holds a Master of Journalism from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and Spanish from the University of Alberta. Kim is also the media relations coordinator for the Servus Edmonton Marathon and volunteers on several non-profit boards.

What if you could control a game or a device using only your thoughts? This session will introduce how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCIs) can help children with movement impairments interact with the world in new ways. We will explain how brain signals can be used to control devices and games, making technology more accessible and empowering for children. Using simple concepts, real-world applications, and a live demonstration, we aim to inspire students to imagine the possibilities of AI and neuroscience.

About the Speakers:

Dr. Hossein Rouhani - Dr. Hossein Rouhani is a Professor in the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, the director of the Neuromuscular Control & Biomechanical Laboratory, and co-director of Mechatronics & Robotics Undergraduate Program at the University of Alberta. He is also the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital – University of Alberta Research Chair in Neurorehabilitation and VP – Technical Programs of the Canadian Society for Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Rouhani received a PhD degree in Biotechnology and Bioengineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). He was then a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Toronto. Dr. Rouhani’s fields of research are health monitoring using wearable technologies, and rehabilitative and assistive technology development, exoskeletons, and brain–computer interfaces. Within his translational research program, Dr. Rouhani has had several collaborative research projects with Canadian university hospitals to implement his developed biomedical technologies in clinical research and practice. 

Dr. Sara Houshmand - I am a passionate AI professional with a strong background in signal processing, committed to tackling complex healthcare challenges. As a postdoctoral fellow in mechanical engineering at the University of Alberta, I develop sensor technologies for BCI-powered wheelchair control. I contribute to the Imagination Centre, advancing rehabilitation technologies to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, I integrate AI and engineering expertise to drive innovation in biomedical applications.

In this session, I will discuss how AI is transforming industries, with a focus on its impact in agriculture. As the CEO of CropMind, I help farmers use AI- powered solutions to estimate fruit yields on orchards and vineyards. Normally, large farms take up to two weeks to estimate their harvest, but our technology can do it in just a few hours utilizing computer vision and data analytics. 

I will also highlight career paths in AI, such as data science, machine learning, and AI development, and explore the skills and training needed for success in these fields. Finally, we’ll discuss the ethical considerations in AI adoption, including fairness, transparency, and its societal impact. This session aims to inspire students to consider AI-driven careers and understand its potential across diverse industries.

Participants will work through ethical case studies having to do with artificial intelligence. Participants will work in small groups and then share approaches to the issues with the whole group. I will facilitate the session and organize materials for the discussions.

About Dr. Geoffrey Rockwell:

Dr. Geoffrey Martin Rockwell is a Professor of Philosophy and Digital Humanities at the University of Alberta. He holds a Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute and publishes on videogames, textual visualization, text analysis, ethics of technology and on digital humanities including a co- authored book Hermeneutica from MIT Press (2016). He is co-developer of Voyant Tools (voyant-tools.org), an award-winning suite of text analysis tools.

Students will attend lightning talks showcasing cutting-edge AI applications in art, healthcare, and other fields. The talks will be given by expert speakers from different backgrounds including researchers from the University of Alberta and industry engineers. These talks will deepen students’ understanding of AI methods and demonstrate the transformative impact of AI beyond its common uses.

About the Speakers:

Mehadi Sayed - Mehadi Sayed is the President and CEO of ClinisysAI Solutions, the subsidiary of Clinisys EMR Inc. Clinisys have been providing AI/ML solutions to health and wellness industry for past twelve years and have now extended its AI/ML service offerings to other industry sectors such as agriculture, energy, finance and manufacturing to name a few. 

Clinisys offers one of the most mature AI/ML platforms and related services to Canadian and international clients. Under Mehadi’s leadership, Clinisys have achieved exemplary success in completing prestigious projects that have far reaching implications in the areas of healthcare, wellness, administration and resource optimization – saving time and resources for our clients and improving patient lives. 

Sunil Vedula - Sunil Vedula is the founder and CEO of NanoPrecise Sci Corp, a company that provides innovative and affordable solutions for condition monitoring and efficiency management of industrial or residential machinery. NanoPrecise motto is to save 20-30% of global GHG emissions caused by frictional losses in machinery, while enhancing the performance and reliability of our clients' assets.

Sunil has a strong background in finance and natural resources, energy, and environment, holds an MBA from University of Alberta, where he presented various papers on the commercialization potential of alternative technologies such as hydrogen fuel cell and geothermal energy.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in 6 different self-paced hands-on activities to learn more about artificial intelligence (AI), how data and AI intersect, how generative AI works, and engage in ethical conversations about AI use.