Faith, Reason, and World Affairs Symposium

2025 Symposium: “Responsibly Engaging With AI to Make a Difference in the World”

AI represents a transformative change in learning, working, and understanding what it means to be human. As part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Concordia prepares students to be responsibly engaged in the world as thoughtful and informed citizens. Concordia’s work addresses the critical concerns of life — including the ethical considerations, vast power, immense possibilities, and serious threats of AI. Concordia College’s 2025 Faith, Reason, and World Affairs Symposium brings people together to consider artificial intelligence’s impact and the moral accountability issues surrounding it. Join experts in the field, Concordia faculty, staff, and students, and citizens of the region as we consider questions such as: Who is responsible for ensuring AI is used beneficially? What should be done and why? What role do we play?

Why All Students Should Attend the Symposium

SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS

Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams

Dr. Elizabeth M. Adams is the CEO of EMA Advisory Services and an award-winning responsible AI influencer known for her pragmatic approach that helps organizations navigate the complexities of AI with authenticity and purpose. She has been featured in numerous publications and has shared her research on AI, leadership, and employee stakeholder engagement worldwide, emphasizing the importance of ethical and inclusive technological innovation. As a trusted advisor, Adams collaborates with leaders and organizations to align their goals with responsible AI practices. She is also an accomplished author, having written four children’s books, including “Little A.I. and Peety,” which addresses safe technology use for children. She is working on her upcoming book, “The Worker and Artificial Intelligence,” which explores the intersection of AI and the workforce.

Dr. Katherine Elkins

Dr. Katherine Elkins is an expert at the intersection of the humanities, social sciences, and AI. Her work focuses on emotion, cognition, linguistics, ethics, and storytelling, with a key contribution being her book, “The Shapes of Stories: Sentiment Analysis for Narrative.” She co-developed the first human-centered AI curriculum and co-founded Kenyon College’s AI Lab. Elkins has published widely in both humanities and computing journals and is a leader in advocating for AI’s role in these fields.

She has received the Senior Trustee Teaching Award and an NEH Teaching Professorship for curriculum innovation. Elkins is also a co-principal investigator for initiatives like the U.S. AI Safety Institute and the IBM/Notre Dame Tech Ethics Lab. Passionate about diversity in AI, she has mentored more than 300 student projects and supported underrepresented voices in the field. Through her work with organizations like Meta’s Open Innovation AI Research Community, she continues to shape AI’s ethical and societal impact.

SCHEDULE

All events are free and open to the public; sessions in Memorial Auditorium unless otherwise noted. Program information, session titles, and concurrent session information subject to change. Please check back for additional details and the confirmed schedule.