First Concurrent Sessions
10:30-11:30 a.m.
"Where Do We Go From Here? An Open Q&A with Dr. Elkins"
Dr. Katherine Elkins, Kenyon College
Christiansen Recital Hall, Hvidsten Hall of Music
Join Dr. Elkins for an open Q&A session focused on practical next steps. Whether you're a student wondering how to choose a career, faculty navigating ChatGPT in the classroom, or staff considering institutional approaches, bring your questions about getting started with AI. This will be a responsive discussion tailored to attendee needs.
"Leading AI Responsibly: Living and Learning with an AI + Human Workforce"
Dr. Elizabeth Adams, EMA Advisory Services
Birkeland Alumni Lounge, Offutt Concourse
In this session, Dr. Adams will share her personal journey into Responsible AI and invite participants into dialogue.
"Jesus Bots, Grief Bots, and Therapy Bots: Can AI Provide Authentic Human and Spiritual Connection?"
Michael Johnson, Assistant Professor of Religion
ISC 201
What happens when we turn to artificial intelligence for our deepest human needs — spiritual guidance, emotional healing, and connection with those we've lost? Join us for an eye-opening exploration of the rapidly expanding world of AI chatbots that claim to be Jesus, simulate deceased loved ones, or provide mental health support. Through interactive demonstrations with select AI systems, we'll experience firsthand how these technologies work while grappling with profound questions about authenticity, connection, and what makes relationships truly human.
As millions worldwide engage with profit-driven Jesus bots offering 24/7 spiritual counsel, grief bots promising digital immortality, and therapy bots addressing our mental health crisis, we must ask: Can algorithms truly understand suffering, offer genuine comfort, or provide sacred wisdom? What do we gain — and what might we lose — when AI speaks for Jesus, when we substitute AI for human counselors, spiritual mentors, or the natural process of grief? Together, we'll explore the promises and perils of these technologies, examining both their potential to democratize access to support and their risks of exploitation, dependency, and theological confusion. This session invites students from all faith backgrounds and perspectives to engage in critical dialogue about preserving authentic human connection in an age of increasingly sophisticated artificial relationships.
"Fiction in the Age of AI"
Jen Ristau, Lisa Eggebraaten, and Kevin Baggett, Carl B. Ylvisaker Library
Library Classroom
Using the recent novel “Playground” by Richard Powers as a jumping-off point, this concurrent session will ponder the roles of AI in fiction writing and fiction as a useful tool in thinking about AI. In his Guardian review of the novel, writer, and literary critic Yagnishsing Dawoor writes, “The novel’s most disquieting inquiries are concerned with AI and its fast-evolving capabilities. Is it the future of storytelling?” In this interactive discussion, attendees will be encouraged to debate these questions and more.
"AI and the Environment"
Dr. Darin Ulness, Professor of Chemistry
ISC 260
A fact-based cost/benefit analysis of AI development in relation to the climate crisis. Focus will be on energy and the resulting carbon dioxide production. Because AI development both produces carbon dioxide and also holds promise for addressing carbon dioxide levels, this question is quite nuanced. 30-40 minutes of the material will be presented followed by time for discussion.
"What Will ConcordAI Look Like?"
Erik Ramstad, Executive Director, and Tony Pietrzak, Chief Security Officer, Information Technology Services
Jones A/B, Morrie Jones Conference Center
Staff, faculty, and students wondering what AI tools Concordia is looking to adopt, support, and recommend may find this panel of ITS personnel helpful. They’ll discuss security considerations, workplace efficiency, online safety, and other aspects affecting institutional AI usage. Bring your questions to accompany questions like:
- What AI tools does the college want most?
- What AI tools can I use as an employee or student?
- Why don't we have a Concordia AI tool yet?
- How do AI tools impact my privacy?
- Are AI tools safe?
- I don't like AI at all. Will I be forced to use it?
- Is AI going to take my job?
- Why do students need to learn about AI?
Second Concurrent Sessions
2:45-3:45 p.m.
"From Bedside to Bot-side: AI Joins the Medical Team"
Dr. Roxana Lupa, Sanford Health
Centrum, Knutson Campus Center
A look inside at how AI is impacting medical care. Functional medical teams are vital in providing quality health care to patients. How will AI fit into those teams?
"Responsible Stewardship of the 6th Wave: Open Q&A with Dr. Adams"
Dr. Elizabeth Adams, EMA Advisory Services
Christiansen Recital Hall, Hvidsten Hall of Music
Dr. Adams will follow her plenary address with an open Q&A session. Bring your questions, scenarios, hopes, and concerns about AI to the recital hall. Expect spirited discussions regarding our individual and collective responsibilities as AI citizens.
"AI and the Sociological Imagination"
Dr. Nicholas Ellig, Emeritus Professor of Sociology
ISC 201
Presenting views on the impact of AI tools on our view of ourselves, our society, and our future, with South Africa as a case for demonstrating how AI represents a development issue that can be understood using a framework informed by the sociological imagination. Participants will be invited to think critically about the implications of AI for achieving sustainable and inclusive development.
"Poised for This Moment: A Scalable Approach to Embedding AI Across the Curriculum"
Dr. Pamela Mork and Dr. Julie Mach, Associate Professors of Chemistry
ISC 260
This presentation, targeting faculty and administrators, will focus on how to integrate AI and machine learning literacy into the majors. Using a completed project for chemistry, the presenters will demonstrate how similar concepts and activities can be implemented in other subject areas.
"AI Across the Curriculum: Preparing Students for a Changing World"
Dr. Susan Larson, Provost and Dean of the College
Olin 124
Artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education, careers, and civic life. Concordia has the opportunity to lead in preparing AI-fluent leaders prepared to balance technical skill with ethical reflection. This session will share ideas for integrating AI across the curriculum in ways that advance Concordia’s goals for liberal learning, from the first-year experience to discipline-specific applications and career preparation. Faculty, staff, and students will be invited to offer input and ideas for how AI might best support our mission and shape the future of teaching and learning at Concordia.
"AI’s Promise and Perils: A Panel Debate of Differing Perspectives"
Concordia College Speech and Debate Team
Barry Auditorium, Grant Center
Come watch members of the Concordia speech and debate team participate in an exhibition debate during which they’ll wrestle with some of the most promising and difficult aspects of AI’s growing place in our lives. Students will engage in a parliamentary debate-style round, which features two teams of two students. This format privileges clear, effective argumentation aimed at a “reasonably well-informed” audience, meaning plain language and a comfortable rate of speech. Enjoy a lively discussion, experience a welcoming style of debate, and offer your own perspective following the round.
"Navigating the AI Era with Confidence: A Practical Guide to Digital Safety"
Marshal Woroniecki, Systems Administrator
Jones A/B, Morrie Jones Conference Center
As artificial intelligence becomes a constant presence in our digital lives, the risks and responsibilities of staying safe online are shifting in new ways. Building on his systems administration expertise and prior work on internet safety, Marshal Woroniecki will offer a practical guide to navigating today’s AI-driven environment with confidence. Participants will learn actionable strategies for protecting personal data, recognizing AI-amplified threats, and fostering responsible digital habits. This session provides both foundational reminders and fresh insights into digital safety for the AI era.