SESSION 1:

The Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science presents

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: WHAT, WHEN, WHY, HOW, AND WHERE TO
The panel explores what is AI, when did it originate as a discipline and how it developed, why it suddenly exploded recently,  how the Computer Science students and faculty use AI in their studies and research, and how the computing industry is exploiting it. We will conclude with a look at some changes and challenges AI may bring to work and education in the near future.”

Panelists:

• Simona Doboli, Professor, Director of the Computer Engineering Program
• John Ortega, Assistant Professor of Computer Science
• Krishnan Pillaipakkamnatt, Professor of Computer Science
• Paul Trapani, Hofstra Alumni, President of LISTnet, Cofounder of PassTech Development

Moderator: Gerda L. Kamberova, Professor of Computer Science, Chair

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
9:40-11:05 a.m. 
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 2:

The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication presents

DISRUPTION IN THE LAND OF MAKE BELIEVE: ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND THE CHALLENGE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS ENTERING THE UNCERTAIN FUTURE OF FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION.
This session will focus on the issues surrounding the employ of artificial intelligence in media creation. Some filmmakers are excited by the possibilities A.I. creates by performing tasks that have been traditionally performed by large and expensive crews. This is particularly true for animation and digital media. This can have a democratizing effect in that smaller production companies, individual artists, social media content creators and independent producers can avail themselves of technologies that have been prohibitively expensive.

Panelists:

• Russ Harbaugh, Writer, Director and Associate Professor of Radio, Television, Film,
• Matthew Mullen, Senior Editor and Animator at Densu Creative, Class of 2015
• Minnie Atairu, Visual Artist who employs A.I.
• Patrick H. Willems, Filmmaker and Podcaster

Moderator: William I. Jennings, Associate Professor of Radio, Television, Film, Chair

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
11:20 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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KEYNOTE ADDRESS:

ALGORITHMIC MONOCULTURE & THE AUTOMATION OF COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

Dr. Kathleen Creel, Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Computer Science, Northeastern University
Joseph G. Astman Presidential Academic Symposium Scholar

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As the number of college applications increase, admissions officers at some universities have turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to help them make decisions faster, and perhaps better.  Where once each school’s admissions officers did their own first rough cut of files, now algorithms from third party software providers sort applications for many institutions. But relying on the same AI systems means making the same mistakes and suffering from the same biases. Increasingly, algorithmic monoculture homogenizes the outcomes of consequential decisions such as college admissions, causing some individuals to be erroneously rejected everywhere.  In this talk, I will argue that it is wrong to allow the quirks of an algorithmic system to consistently exclude a small number of people from consequential opportunities, and I will suggest solutions that can help ameliorate the harm to individuals.

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
1-2:25 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 3:

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Disabilities Studies presents

THE PROMISE AND PERILS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Artificial Intelligence enables assistive technologies that help people with disabilities read, communicate, and navigate the built environment. AI can be used therapeutically to reduce seizures from epilepsy, to resolve tremors from Parkinson’s, and to stabilize mood disorders; it can  develop the social skills of people on the autism spectrum, and aid college students living with communication impairments. Some AI-driven assistance in higher education, though, raises pedagogical and ethical questions. Institutional and individual instructional responses to those questions can create disabling environments for some students. Moreover, AI can empower disability discrimination if it reproduces and normalizes biases or omissions in the data sets used to train it.

Panelists:

• Joseph Bartolotta, Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Composition
• Michael Ford, Class of 2023 and finalist in the 2023 Hofstra Digital Remedy Challenge
• Kevin Lagrandeur, Professor Emeritus, New York Institute of Technology and Director of Research, Global AI Ethics Institute
• Mary E. MacDonald, Professor of Special Education and Director of Applied Behavioral Analysis
• Craig M. Rustici, Director of Disability Studies

Moderator: Andrea Nerlich, Professor of Counseling and Mental Health Professions

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
2:40-4:05 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 4:

School of Education presents

THE K-12 EDUCATOR AND A.I.: FIRST THE TEACHER, THEN THE TOOL

The release of Chat GPT in November 2022 has inspired a new wave of thinking and emotions about artificial intelligence in the K-12 classroom as a teacher preparation tool and a resource for students to use in the classroom.  This presentation showcases ways that teachers and teacher educators can use Chat GPT in their planning to support learners. This presentation also showcases ways Chat GPT can be a tool for students and the skills necessary to utilize it responsibly.  The panel will also address how A.I. may challenge some of the traditional tasks in classrooms and illuminate the importance of critical thinking, intentional questioning, and metacognition while reading, writing, and researching. While the presentation material is contextualized in K-12 education, the ideas can be applicable to many higher education settings.  The panel includes representation of administrators and teachers (grades PreK-12) and professors in higher education.

Panelists:

• Matthew Jones, Long Beach Public Schools
• Patrick Kiley-Rendon, EdD, West Islip Public Schools
• CristieTursi, Long Beach Public Schools
• Toni Weiss, Long Beach Public Schools

Moderator: Lorraine M. Radice, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Specialized Programs in Education

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
4:20-5:45 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 5:

Hofstra-Northwell School of Nursing & Physician Assistant Studies presents

ETHICAL USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN HEALTHCARE
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has widespread ramifications that revolutionize the scope of practicing the art and science of healthcare and medicine, transforming the routines of clinicians and the experience of patients. Like other revolutionary technologies in health care, the ethical implications of its use has been an afterthought. In June 2018, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a policy, “Augmented Intelligence in Health Care,”to provide a framework to help ensure that AI realizes the benefits it promises for patients and the health care community. In 2022, the American Nurses Association (ANA) released a position statement entitled “the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Nursing Practice” to provide practical examples of AI and analyze the appropriateness of AI’s application in practice. This panel intends to provide a foundation with an in-depth view of the AI-induced complexities and opportunities, exploring legal aspects of patient rights to privacy, hidden “bias”, as well as the intersection of AI’s ethical use within a global economy.

Panelists:

• Barbara Ann Messina, PhD, ANP, RN, Associate Dean and Chair of Undergraduate Nursing, Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies
• Basilio G. Monteiro, PhD, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research, Department of Mass Communications, St. John’s University
• Renee McLeod-Sordjan, DNP, PhD, HEC-C, Dean and Professor of Nursing, Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies, and Director of Medical Ethics, Northwell Health

Moderator: Anthony Porcelli, EdD, Senior Assistant Dean, Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and PhysicianAssistant Studies

Tuesday, September 26, 2023
6-7:30 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 6:

Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs and the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency presents

THE POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) may have profound implications for nearly every aspect of modern life. One of the most crucial areas affected is politics and how democratic societies get, understand, and verify information. The ability to craft convincing deep fakes and other forms of AI-generated communications could shake the very foundation of democratic life by making it more difficult for citizens to gather reliable information when engaged in voting and other critical areas of democratic life. In the international arena, AI poses not only information challenges but also may change the nature of power in world politics. While AI advancements may clearly help humanity tackle difficult problems with technological and policy innovations, could the use of the technology by nefarious actors pose a significant threat to critical aspects of domestic and international politics? These issues in both the domestic and international sphere raise questions that must be addressed now so that policy and potentially regulations can be crafted to manage this new frontier.

Panelists:

• Meena Bose, Professor of Political Science and Executive Dean of Public Policy and Public Service Programs, Director of the Peter S. Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency, and Peter S. Kalikow Chair in Presidential Studies
• Paul Fritz, Associate Professor of Political Science, and Director of the Peace and Conflict Studies Minor

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
9:40-11:05 a.m. 
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 7:

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presents

HELLO CLAUDE! GOODBYE CHATGPT?: HOW THE EVER-EVOLVING AI LANDSCAPE CONTINUES TO IMPACT COLLEGE STUDENT ESSAY PRODUCTION
AI tools like ChatGPT have raised many questions about the nature of "writing" in the college classroom. While academic integrity is often a central question raised in this context, it is potentially more interesting to use AI as part of a "teaching moment" to help students understand basic elements of editing, responding to prompts for specific audiences, and the genre conventions of various disciplines. These are areas in which many chatbots, being designed to "chat" (rather than compose) fall short.  Workshop participants will be asked to interact utilizing online software Padlet - accessed on Smartphones via OR code which will be provided during presentation.

Panelists:

• Lisa M. DeTora, Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric
• Adele J. Doyle, Adjunct Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric
• Samantha McCalla, Adjunct Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
11:20 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY ADDRESS

DR. SUSAN POSER
President
Hofstra University

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
1-1:45 p.m.
John Cranford Adams Playhouse, South Campus

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SESSION 8:

School of Education presents

PERCEPTIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: IMPLICATIONS FOR LEADERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Colleges and universities will be implementing artificial intelligence (AI) in many of their functions, such as AI-informed leadership decision making, predictive analytics, academic integrity policies, natural language processing, and more.  Success in the implementation of these functions will require a carefully crafted strategy and a close collaboration between and among the college’s stakeholders in academic affairs, instructional and institutional technologies, student services, honor boards, financial affairs, enrollment management, planning, and institutional research. Moreover, college leaders must be attuned to changes arising from AI in rules, regulations, and standards adopted by federal and state agencies, and by regional and specialized accreditors. The panel will focus on three core areas of interest for higher education leadership: (1) student affairs and academic integrity; (2) executive leadership; and (3) institutional and public policy.

Panelists:

• Christina Cacioppo Bertsch, Associate Dean and Adjunct Instructor of Specialized Programs in Education
• Sean A. Fanelli, Associate Professor in Specialized Programs in Education
• Rebecca S. Natow, Assistant Professor and Director of the Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies Program
• Suzanne L. Pike,Associate Provost for Academic Support and Study Abroad and Co-Chair of the Hofstra Honor Board

Moderator:  Holly J. Seirup, Professor, Department of Counseling and Mental Health Professions

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
2:40-4:05 pm
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 9:

Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs presents

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND VARIANTS OF CAPITALISM: HOW AI PLAYS OUT DIFFERENTLY IN US, EU AND CHINA

As we are moving beyond America’s long-standing global hegemony towards a more multi-polar world, we must recognize that its three power centers - the United States, the European Union, and China- - have developed distinctly different “mixed economy” models of capitalism. The United States continues its neo-liberal “small government” model, with minor adjustments on the margin. The European Union, an experiment in steadily growing levels of economic and political integration, uses regulatory reform as a vehicle for its piecemeal construction of a supra-national governance structure. China’s “Socialism with Chinese characteristics” under Xi pursues a state-administered capitalism, combining highly regulated markets and firms with a surveillance state. These three models have also led to very distinct digital economies, each with its own unique set of market structures, cultural contexts, and regulatory constraints shaping the local internet. Already at this early stage of its own life cycle, artificial intelligence is being approached very differently in America, Europe or China. These differences will surely also shape how AI plays out in each of these three entities across a large swath of applications.

Panelists:

• Carolyn M. Dudek, Professor of Political Science and Chair, Department of Political Science; and Director of European Studies
• Jean-Paul Rodrigue, Professor of Global Studies and Geography

Moderator:  Robert Guttmann, Professor of Economics, and European Studies

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
4:20-5:45 pm
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 10:

Maurice A. Deane School of Law presents

HOW AI IS USED AT THE MAURICE A. DEANE SCHOOL OF LAW at HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

Join us for a discussion on how Hofstra’s law students are using AI to build tools that solve problems in the legal system which will include a slide deck presentation. Attendees will learn how law students use critical thinking, rhetorical analysis, and legal knowledge to train AI models that apply the students’ understanding of legal text and problems. This hands-on, take-charge approach to AI not only allows students to harness their tremendous abilities, but also combat AI’s negative impact on the legal system, and take ownership of AI to advance it ethically, fairly, and effectively.

Discussion leader:

• John Tsiforas, Director of Law & Technology, Distance Education, and Analytics, and Visiting Professor
• Edward H. Currie, PhD, Associate Professor, Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science
• Joined by Law Students and Faculty

Wednesday, September 27, 2023
6-7:30 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 11:

Frank G. Zarb School of Business presents

HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE ON HOW ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IS USED AT THE FRANK G. ZARB SCHOOL OF BUSINESS (INTERACTIVE LAB PARTICIPATION)

Join us for an interactive session aimed at providing participants with hands-on experience in our cutting-edge AI-powered Core Skills Lab. This Lab has virtual reality and artificial intelligence software that helps our students build the credentials that are key to learning and working in today's world. Participants will learn how we are integrating these simulation-based assessments into the curriculum to enhance our students' critical thinking, and communication. Participants will get to experience our safe and immersive environment that empowers our students to practice and refine their leadership and communication skills. In addition, participants will learn how we use these AI platforms to help students prepare for selection processes by tailoring improvements in their resume and interviewing skills to better position themselves for success.

Hosted by:

• Janet A. Lenaghan, Dean of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business and Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
• Patrick J. Holton, Executive Director of Graduate Business Career Relations
• Catherine Fisher, Manager of Technology and Associate Director of Zarb Graduate Business Career Relations

Thursday, September 28, 2023
9:40-11:05 a.m. 
Room 103, Leo A. Guthart Hall for Innovation and Discovery

Advanced registration required. RSVP limited to 40 people.

SESSION 12:

The Fred DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science presents

EXPLORING GENERATIVE AI IN HIGHER EDUCATION: EFFECTIVE APPLICATION, ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS, AND PROFESSIONAL READINESS
As artificial intelligence (AI) evolves, its impact is profoundly felt across various sectors, including higher education. Predictions of AI’s ramifications range from utopian visions of a more efficient society to apocalyptic fears of the destruction of civilization. However, the reality is likely to be somewhere in between as generative AI, like any tool, can be used in both constructive and destructive ways. The only thing that is certain is that generative AI is not going away. So, how do we as professionals engage with AI productively? How do we train our students to use these tools effectively and ethically as they begin their careers? This session will explore professional readiness, effectiveness, and ethics in the face of the emerging generative AI landscape. A moderated discussion between Hofstra engineering faculty with extensive experience in industry, research, and teaching will focus on generative AI's role in research, its ethical dimensions, professional practices, and its influence on teaching and learning methods.=

Panelists:

• M. Dave Burghardt, Professor of Engineering and Founder and co-Director of the Center for STEM Research
• Edward H. Currie, Associate Professor of Engineering
• Brian J. Galli, Assistant Professor of Engineering and Graduate Program Director, MS in Engineering Management
• Nicholas J. Merna, Associate Professor of Engineering

Moderator: D. Elliott Williamstyer, Assistant Professor of Engineering

Thursday, September 28, 2023
11:20 a.m. -12:45 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 13:

Frank G. Zarb School of Business presents

NAVIGATING THE AI REVOLUTION: DEFINITIONS AND THE IMPACT ON THE WORKFORCE ACROSS INDUSTRIES
The purpose of this session is to educate students and other audiences about the fundamental concepts of AI and machine learning, providing an overview of their current applications and future possibilities across 2-3 industries. We seek to create awareness about the transformative potential of AI, enabling students to comprehend the impact on job roles, career prospects, and business strategies

Panelists:

• Janet A. Lenaghan, Dean of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business and Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship
• Jason Naidich, Senior Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer, Northwell Health
• Alaina Sammartano, Partner, Tax Technology and Transformation at Ernst & Young, LLP
• Michael Hind, Distinguished Research Staff Member for IBM Research AI Department

Moderator: Amir Gandomi, Associate Professor of Information Systems and Business Analytics

Thursday, September 28, 2023
1-2:25 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 14:

Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presents

Risks and Benefits of Generative AI for Teachers and Students in the Humanities: Recommendations of the MLA-CCCC Joint Task Force on Writing and AI
The Modern Language Association (MLA) and the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), the major professional organizations for scholars and teachers of modern languages, literatures, writing and communication, have formed a joint task force on writing and AI to address the concerns generative AI/LLM (large language models) have raised for educators in our fields. Join us for a roundtable discussion of the first working paper released by the task force with MLA-CCCC Task Force co-chair Elizabeth Losh. The session will provide an overview of and respond to the working paper and address how its twelve recommendations might inform our practice at Hofstra as individuals and as a campus community.

Panelists:

• Ethna D. Lay, Associate Professor of Writing Studies and Rhetoric, Chair
• Elizabeth Mathews Losh, Duane A. and Virginia S. Dittman Professor of English & American Studies, William & Mary
• Adam G. Sills, Associate Professor of English

Moderator: Karyn M. Valerius, Associate Professor of English, Chair

Thursday, September 28, 2023
2:40-4:05 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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SESSION 15

School of Health Professions & Human Services presents

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

This interdisciplinary panel will explore the promises and pitfalls of AI in health care through the lenses of faculty with industry experience.   Presenters will explore the potential of AI to improve health equity through better medical decision making that embeds the social determinants of health, and through enhanced communication with underserved communities (“the good”).  Strategies for overcoming misunderstanding, fear, and avoidance of AI innovations in health care (“the bad”) and for recognizing and eliminating biases in health care systems that can be inadvertently perpetuated by AI (“the ugly”) will be discussed.

A guided Q&A session will explore lessons for health professionals, educators, and students.   

Panel Presentations:

• Brain-Computer Interfaces enhanced with AI allow a paralyzed stroke patient to speak groundbreaking research and future challenges
  • Patrizia Bonaventura, PhD, Assistant Professor, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences, United Nations-ECOSOC representative for the International Arts Movement, HPHS
• "Hey Siri...I feel Sad": Emerging AI and its Influence on Mental Health Service Delivery  
  •  Joel J. Brown, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling and Mental Health Professions, HPHS
• Overcoming the polarization of Immunological Tolerance in the Micro Tumor Environment via Artificial Intelligence
  • John F. DeCarlo, M.A., M.Div., Adjunct Associate Professor of Writing Studies & Rhetoric, HCLAS, and Full-Term Professor, Science and Technology, SUNY Farmingdale
• Using Artificial Intelligence as a Solution for Populations Living in Poverty starts with Eliminating Bias in Human Behavior, not AI
  • Steven Lindo, DPS, MSc, Assistant Professor of Population Health, Graduate Program Director: MS in Health Informatics, and Board Chairman, Springboard Incubators, Inc., HPHS
• The “Dos” and “Don’ts” of Artificial Intelligence in Physical Rehabilitation
  • Ofra Pottorf, PT, PhD, DPT, Board-Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist, Director of Clinical Education and Clinical Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy Program, HPHS

Moderator: Corinne Kyriacou, PhD, Vice Dean and Associate Professor of Population Health

Thursday, September 28, 2023
4:20-5:45 p.m.
Leo A. Guthart Cultural Center Theater, Axinn Library, South Campus

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