Florida State University recently held a Lunch and Learn graduate workshop on artificial intelligence (AI), bringing together graduate students from various disciplines to explore the impact of AI on teaching and research.
Students from across campus participated in the 90-minute event, which was held in collaboration between FSU’s Innovation Hub, Graduate School and the Office of the Provost.
“Artificial intelligence in both teaching and research are two areas that are extremely important for our graduate students, especially those that are looking at careers in academia,” said Paul Marty, associate vice provost for academic innovation and sponsor of the event. “We have graduate students from all different programs on campus here talking together, and it shows how topics like artificial intelligence bring people together from all disciplines to learn and share ideas together.”
The workshop featured lectures from Michael Neal, associate professor in the Department of English; Joshua Morgan, academic affairs administrator at the Office of Faculty Development and Advancement; Kyung Kim, social sciences librarian; and Liz Dunne, instruction and reference librarian.
“It’s very important for Florida State University to embrace all new academic innovations. I feel really strongly that we are a university that is embracing innovation across academia, and one of the things we have to do is work with our students so they understand how those tools can be used and what their limitations are.”
— Paul Marty, associate vice provost for academic innovation
The workshop also included discussions on the ethical and effective use of AI tools. The speakers emphasized the university’s commitment to embracing innovation through artificial intelligence and highlighted how they deal with AI in their own professional lives and in the classroom setting.
“It’s very important for Florida State University to embrace all new academic innovations,” Marty said. “I feel really strongly that we are a university that is embracing innovation across academia, and one of the things we have to do is work with our students so they understand how those tools can be used and what their limitations are.”
Graduate students were also encouraged to utilize resources like the Innovation Hub and the Graduate Student Resource Center to further their academic and professional growth.
“I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about AI use in both classrooms and research and to discuss with fellow graduate teaching assistants from various departments their experiences with either combating or introducing it in the classroom,” said Emily Lu, Department of History doctoral student. “I teach Japanese history. I have an anti-generative AI policy in my course, but this workshop made me consider educating students on the ethical use of generative AI and the possibility of incorporating it into the classroom as an educational tool.”
The workshop resonated with many participants who appreciated the university’s efforts to stay at the forefront of technological advancements.
“It was very encouraging to see FSU’s proactive approach to innovative technologies by offering clear guidelines for effectively using generative AI in teaching and research,” said international and multicultural education student Amber Noor Mustafa. “I believe that AI is only as effective as the user’s query, and FSU’s guidance can empower researchers and educators to harness AI’s potential, keeping pace with cutting-edge global research. AI is here to stay, and as researchers, staying informed about the latest advancements is essential, while as educators, we must strive to stay a step ahead of our students to enrich their learning experiences.”
For more information, visit ai.fsu.edu.