Artificial intelligence is becoming an important part of Missouri Tech’s education, research and workforce development, and Kumar College plays a key role in preparing students to work with technology in a variety of ways.
One example is the recent Kummer Colloquium course taught by Drs. Daniel Reardonprofessor of English and technical communication and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Education. rachel cormanAssociate Dean for Entrepreneurial Education.
During the four-week course, a classroom full of Kumar Vanguard Scholars learned how to create AI-powered avatars for marketing and business communications.
“The goal of this course was not just to teach students how to use AI tools, but to help them think critically about how emerging AI technologies can be used to communicate ideas, tell stories, and engage audiences,” Reardon says.
Reardon’s course explored how AI tools can support business communications, marketing, and storytelling.
“I’ve always been interested in the potential of AI and how it can help not only higher education but also business,” he says. “As a former small business owner, I thought I had a lot of potential.”
Beyond the classroom, Reardon continues to incorporate AI into his courses and conversations about the future of teaching and learning.
“I ask students in my courses to learn how to use AI,” he says. “We still want our students to think critically, but there are ways to use generative artificial intelligence that can augment our thinking and enhance our thinking.”
Missouri Data Centers: Join the conversation
Beyond the classroom, S&T continues to contribute to the statewide conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on industry and infrastructure.
June 18th, Governor. mike kehoe S&T hosted the Governor’s Forum on Data Centers and Artificial Intelligence, bringing together state leaders, experts, and community members to discuss the future of AI and data centers in Missouri.
Among the university experts who attended the event were Drs. Amaury Rendasseprofessor and professor of engineering management and systems engineering, and Ph.D. Genda ChenRobert W. Abbett Civil Engineering Distinguished Chair and Director of the Center for Intelligent Infrastructure.
their presentation is Artificial Intelligence and Data Center 101We looked at the technologies driving AI innovation and the infrastructure needed to support continued growth.
In his presentation, Rendasse said that AI is not a futuristic concept. It’s already here.
“I tell my students every day, ‘There is no good or bad with AI,'” Rendasse says. “It’s just so powerful. It’s like the Internet. It’s how you design it, regulate it, and use it.”
The presentation also discussed what the community will gain from building the data center, from tax revenue to high-paying jobs to the entire technology ecosystem.
“Data centers primarily require skilled workers, such as network engineers, security professionals, facility managers, and construction workers, which is why communities are competing for these data centers,” Rendasse says. “We predict that at least 50,000 jobs will be created around data centers over the next few years. The question is not whether AI infrastructure will be built. The question is whether AI infrastructure will be built here.”
Lense concluded his presentation by repeating a phrase he says every week to students at the College of Science and Technology.
“AI is not magic. AI is not human. AI is a powerful tool trained from data. That means we need to understand it, learn the basics, and guide AI regulation,” Rendasse says.
Read more about Lendasse’s AI expertise in our previous Q&A session. Frontiers in AI Benchmarking.
As AI continues to evolve, Reardon says universities have an important role to play in helping students understand how to use the technology effectively and responsibly.
“S&T must continue to be a regional and national leader in science and technology research and education, and one aspect of that leadership is developing important pathways toward understanding and using generative artificial intelligence,” Reardon said. “We need to teach students AI competencies and how to use AI effectively and ethically. Our institutions should be leaders in developing AI competencies for their students.”
The Governor’s Forum presentation can be viewed online at ai.mst.edu.
