Program
At its core, the AI in Research Symposium is about turning possibility into practice. This year’s program puts the spotlight on how researchers are actually adopting AI, not just what AI can do. Through keynote addresses, along with AI Journey presentations and posters from across disciplines, attendees will hear firsthand about the motivations, methods, challenges and lessons learned when AI and research meet. Together, these sessions offer researchers practical, actionable insights into how to move from curiosity to implementation and make AI work in their own research contexts.
Learn more about this annual event by exploring our past symposiums (2024 and 2025) and visiting our YouTube Playlist.
AI Journey Presentations
“AI Journeys” are research stories presented by U-M and partners who have started research projects with AI implementation. These presentations will focus on the researchers’ experience in determining a research question, identifying an AI method, enlisting collaborators, and recommendations of dos and don’ts. This year’s AI Journey presenters are applicants for the AIIM Empowering Research with AI Awards.
To learn more about the AI Journeys, check out the AI Journey from the 2025 AI in Science and Engineering Symposium.
For a sneak peek into what’s to come, choose your own path through the AI Journeys! Scroll through to discover what themes and disciplines will be featured during the symposium.
Ready to explore the world of research through AI?
Keynote Speakers
Annie Hsieh
Associate Professor of Music Theory, Carnegie Mellon University and Composer
Jun Li
Founding Chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Genome Sciences, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center
Venkat Viswanathan
Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan
Panel Discussion: Conversations Across Cultures
How are researchers using AI in different disciplines and social contexts? This panel brings together award-winning composer Anne Hsieh, computational biologist Jun Li, energy researcher Venkat Viswanathan, and Vukosi Marivate, Director of the African Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (AfriDSAI). Panelists will share insights from their research across physical sciences, biological sciences, and the arts, in the US and in Africa. Join us for an open conversation about enabling AI for research that transcends traditional divides.
AI Resources Showcase
This session will feature brief presentations from a number of AI research and support groups from around campus. They will speak on what they do and how they can collaborate with U-M faculty and researchers.
- Bold Challenges
- Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP)
- Center for Global Health Equity (CGHE)
- Michigan Institute for Computational Discovery and Engineering (MICDE)
- Arts Research: Incubation & Acceleration (ARIA)
- AI Institutes at Michigan (AIIM)
- Advanced Research Computing (ARC)
- Statistical Analysis of Biomedical and Educational Research Group (SABER)
- AI & Digital Health Innovation
LAUNCHING NEW AI RESOURCES 🚀
- Campus AI Resource Map
- Online AI Guidebook
- MAIZEY Demonstration
Empowering Research with AI Awards
Join us for the Empowering Research with AI Awards Ceremony!
Come celebrate the innovative spirit of the U-M research community at the final event of the AI in Research Symposium on Tuesday, March 31, from 2:40–3:00 PM. Presented by Brad Orr, Associate Vice President for Research in Natural Sciences and Engineering in the Office of the Vice President of Research (OVPR), this ceremony recognizes groundbreaking uses of artificial intelligence across disciplines, with submissions from over 180 teams and individuals spanning dozens of schools, colleges, and all three U-M campuses. Don’t miss this opportunity to honor AI-powered achievements that are advancing fields from engineering and medicine to the arts, business, and beyond!
U-M & Africa AI in Research Collaboration Workshop
This invite-only workshop, co-sponsored by the African Studies Center, brings together the Schmidt AI in Science African Faculty Fellows, institutional leaders, and U-M faculty and staff to foster meaningful partnerships in artificial intelligence and research. Following the AI in Research Symposium, the half-day event will begin with opening remarks and lightning talks from leaders representing both U-M and our African partners, introducing attendees to each organization’s unique perspectives and research priorities. These presentations will set the stage for roundtable discussions designed to help participants identify shared interests and explore pathways for future partnership.
This event is made possible with the generous support of Schmidt Sciences.
Thank you to our
other co-sponsors!
Program Committee
Nathan Fox
AI Scientist, MIDAS
Nicholas Henriksen
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Spanish & Linguistics, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Dani Jones
Associate Research Scientist, Data Science and Modeling, School for Environment and Sustainability
Aaron King
Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Jing Liu
Executive Director, MIDAS
Nambi Nallasamy
Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Medical School
Jonathan Reader
Data Systems Manager, Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Questions? Contact Us.
Message the MIDAS team: [email protected]
Parking/Accessibility
The closest parking garage to the Rackham Graduate School (915 E. Washington St) is the Thayer Street Parking Structure, located at 216 S. Thayer St. It is a 1-3 minute walk from the building.
Other nearby options include the Liberty Square Parking Structure (510 E. Washington St) and the Maynard Parking Structure (324 Maynard St), which are within a 5-10 minute walk