Embracing the AI Revolution at SFU

In response to the AI revolution, Simon Fraser University (SFU) is charting a path for the responsible integration of artificial intelligence within education, research, and society. This university-wide strategy aims to reshape research, learning and teaching, and university operations, all while supporting SFU’s mission to benefit students, faculty, staff, and the wider community.

To spearhead this initiative, SFU established an AI Strategy Committee in summer 2024. This committee is tasked with exploring AI’s potential and impact on SFU in four key areas/pillars: Learning and Teaching, Research, Operations/Administration, and External Engagement.

AI Strategy Core Committee Members:

• Chair: Dugan O’Neil, Vice President of Research & Innovation
• Learning and Teaching: Paul Kingsbury, Associate Vice President, Learning and Teaching, pro tem
• Research: Steve DiPaola, Professor, School of Interactive Arts & Technology, and Parmit Chilana, Associate Professor, School of Computing Science and Co-director, Visual and Interactive Computing Institute (VINCI)
• Operations/Administration: Brian Stewart, Chief Information Officer, IT Services
• Partnerships/External Engagement: Seychelle Cushing, Executive Director, SFU’s Partnerships Hub, and Aftab Erfan, Executive Director, SFU Centre for Dialogue
• Additional members: Mark Jordan, Library representative, Fred Popwich, Big Data Hub representative and Fabiana Rassier, Director, Special Initiatives.
  
  

Guiding Principles for the AI Strategy:

• AI-based tools are just that—tools. Learning how to use these new tools to be a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future, should be our priority.
• Learning how to use AI-based tools requires understanding of how these tools pose challenges, opportunities, and questions.
• AI-based tools are changing (and improving) rapidly. An agile and coordinated approach is needed to effectively integrate these tools into our work.
• There are risks associated (e.g., academic integrity, privacy and security, intellectual property rights, reliability, inequities). Understanding and using the tools ourselves will help us manage those risks.
  
  

At this Lunch 'n' Learn, a leader from each of the 4 pillars will share their insights on how their respective areas will contribute to the university-wide AI strategy. The presentations will be followed by a Q&A.

Learning and Teaching: Paul Kingsbury
Paul Kingsbury is SFU’s Associate Vice-President, Learning and Teaching (pro tem), Leader of the AI Strategy-Learning and Teaching Task Force, and a Professor in the Department of Geography.

Research: Steve DiPaola
Dr. Steve DiPaola is a Professor in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) at SFU, where he directs the Cognitive Science Program and leads the iVizLab. Steve is also the Leader of the AI Strategy-Research Task Force.

Operations/Administration: Brian Stewart
Brian Stewart is the Chief Information Officer at SFU, where he leads digital transformation and IT strategy. He is also the Leader of the AI Strategy-Operations/Administrations Task Force.

Partnership/External Engagement: Seychelle Cushing
Seychelle Cushing is the Executive Director of the Partnerships Hub at SFU, where she spearheads strategic partnerships between SFU and external stakeholders. She is also the Leader for the AI Strategy-Partnerships/External Engagement Task Force.

This is an in-person event with lunch provided.