Redefining AI Literacy Beyond the Lab
Science communication is a core responsibility of every scientist, ensuring the public can interpret and make decisions about the world around them. Yet, as AI rapidly advances scientific discovery, effective communication about how these models work often lags behind, trapped in technical papers and academic circles. While the public increasingly uses AI, fundamental AI literacy (understanding the underlying mechanisms) remains limited.
The Commun-AI-ty workshop is a dynamic, intensive 3.5-day event dedicated to bridging this gap. We move beyond simple outreach to focus on the co-design of educational tools that make AI in science transparent, relevant, and accessible.
Our Question: How can we best communicate the science in research in AI for science to the general public (i.e., grades 6-12)?
What You Will Achieve
Participants will learn cutting-edge UI/UX design principles and science communication methods to transform their research into compelling, public-facing resources. The core output of this workshop will be the collaborative development of interactive web applications designed for middle and high school students.
An Example: Making AI Visible
Imagine an interface where a student can upload their own drawing of an animal. Our web application, powered by a sophisticated machine learning model, takes that drawing, performs feature extraction (identifying things like ears, legs, or tail type), and then performs classification (identifying the animal).
This interactive process allows students—and the public—to directly see:
- The Inputs: How does the quality or style of their drawing affect the outcome?
- The Process: What specific features is the AI “looking for” to make its decision?
- The Output: How do different extracted features lead to different classification results?
This kind of tangible, immediate feedback turns a black-box model into a hands-on learning experience, dramatically enhancing scientific and critical thinking skills.
Join us to build the tools that expand the societal reach and impact of AI in science.
Registration Deadline: April 30, 2026
Register nowSpeakers
Dr. Selma Šabanović
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Professor, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Luddy School, Indiana University Bloomington
Dr. Roberto Araya Schulz
Professor, Institute of Education, University of Chile
Dr. Xu Wang
Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, School of Information, University of Michigan
Tutorial Leads
Austin Mroz
Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
Long-Jing Hsu
Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
Rosiana Natalie
Michigan Data Science Fellow, 2024 Cohort, University of Michigan
Schedule
Virtual Pre-Workshop Meeting: All participants will be required to attend a virtual pre-workshop meeting (1 hour). This session is crucial for alignment:
- Participants will prepare a short (5-minute) flash talk on an AI in science application they are interested in.
- We will discuss common interests, select a final topic for the web application, and form groups.
This ensures everyone is aligned and prepared for a productive, focused in-person co-design session.
The in-person workshop spans 3.5 days of intense learning, collaboration, and design.
In-Person Workshop Format: The first three days feature mornings dedicated to networking, talks, and tutorials (Co-learning). Afternoons are dedicated to structured Co-design and Coding Sessions using the concepts learned. The final half-day is dedicated to presentation and feedback.
Schedule is subject to change.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Pre-Workshop Meet and Greet
Introduction & Machine Learning
8:00 AM – 9:20 AM
Arrivals & Breakfast
9:20 AM – 9:30 AM
Opening Remarks
Jing Liu, Executive Director of the Michigan Institute for AI and Data in Society
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
AI and Science Communication for K-12,
Professor Roberto Araya Schulz, Professor, Institute of Education, University of Chile
10:30 AM – 10:45
Coffee & Tea Break
10:45 AM – 12:30 PM
Meet and Greet (Ice-Breaking Session) & Webpage Ideafest
Long-Jing Hsu, Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
12:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
Visual Design
Rosiana Natalie, Michigan Data Science Fellow, 2024 Cohort, University of Michigan
3:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Introduction to Frontend Web Application Development Process
Austin Mroz, Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
4:00 – 5:00 PM
Group Coding and Breakout Session
7:00 PM
Reception Dinner
UI/UX & Co-Design
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Breakfast
9:30 AM – 9:45 AM
Recap
9:45 AM – 10:30 AM
Introduction to backend web application development process
Austin Mroz, Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Coffee & Tea Break
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Group Coding and Breakout Session
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Introduction to the web platform intro & git workflow
Austin Mroz, Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Group Coding and Breakout Session
3:00 PM
Coffee / Tea Refreshment Arrival
5:00 PM
Dinner (on your own)
UI/UX & Community Integration
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Arrivals of Community Partners & Breakfast
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
UI/UX for Education
Dr. Xu Wang, Assistant Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, School of Information, University of Michigan
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Coffee & Tea Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Initial Feedback from Stakeholders
Long-Jing Hsu, Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Co-design with Community Stakeholders
Dr. Selma Šabanović, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, Professor, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Luddy School, Indiana University Bloomington
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM
Coffee Break
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM
Ideafest with the Community Stakeholders
Long-Jing Hsu, Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
3:30 PM – 3:40 PM
Group Photo
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Leisure Time / Continue to Code
- Short Central Campus Tour
- Robotics Building Tour
5:00 PM
Dinner (on your own)
Demo-Day
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Demonstration to Community Partners and Feedback
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM
Closing Remarks
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Lunch
Logistics & Location
We are excited to host the Commun-AI-ty workshop in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The main sessions will be held:
Michigan Union, Wolverine and Kuenzel Room
530 S State St
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Final venue confirmation will be provided prior to the event.
We will be joined by grade 6–12 teachers from partner Ann Arbor schools for the latter half of the program to provide valuable feedback on our developments
- Airport: Ann Arbor is approximately 22–23 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW).
- Accessibility: DTW offers direct flights connecting key partner locations, ensuring reasonable travel costs for participants.
- Travel Scholarships: Travel scholarships will be available to supplement participant costs.
Bell Tower Hotel
300 S Thayer St
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
- Provided Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and coffee breaks will be provided daily by Michigan Catering within the main venue
- Dinners: Participants will receive a list of highly recommended local restaurants catering to all dietary needs. We strongly encourage participants to dine together to maximize networking and informal collaboration opportunities.
- Four nights of accommodation (for non-U-M participants) from June 22 to June 25 at the Bell Tower
- All participants are invited to the welcome reception on June 23 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, in a local restaurant.
- All three meals during the workshop.
- Workshop swags to be released later.
- Travel awards subject to availability.
- Travel: Participants are expected to pay their own travel. There are limited amount of travel awards to be applied in the application form.
- Travel Insurance: Participants are encouraged to buy their own travel insurance.
- All other items not mentioned in the “What’s Covered” section.
Organizers and Facilitators
Lead Organizers (Schmidt AI in Science Fellows)
Long-Jing Hsu
Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
Austin Mroz
Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London
Yan Ying Tan
Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
Haotian Chen
Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2024 Cohort, University of Michigan
Shanshan Liu
Schmidt AI in Science Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
Verrah Otiende
African Faculty Fellow, 2025 Cohort, University of Michigan
This workshop is sponsored by Schmidt Sciences
