Chapman University, in partnership with Leatherby Libraries and IS&T, is spearheading an initiative aimed at helping Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) adopt generative AI responsibly, with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

This project, titled Advancing AI Governance and Implementation at Emerging Research Institutions, addresses the unique challenges faced by ERIs, such as limited budgets and staffing constraints, in establishing the necessary AI infrastructure and ethical oversight.

The initiative seeks to identify scalable strategies that ERIs can utilize to leverage AI tools for scientific discovery and enhance their research capabilities.

Additionally, the goal is to create actionable recommendations that ERIs across the country can implement to improve their research capacity through effective AI integration.

To facilitate this, the project will conduct two regional workshops designed to foster discussions among administrators, researchers, librarians, and IT professionals from ERIs.

Workshop topics will cover shared investments in AI infrastructure, collaborative professional development for staff, innovative staffing models, and the establishment of regional research incubation hubs.

Doug Dechow, assistant dean for Library Research and Data Services at Chapman, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, highlighting the opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities presented by generative AI.

Jana Remy, assistant vice president of Educational Technology, is also involved in planning the workshop, emphasizing the importance of equitable access to AI tools in higher education.