How is artificial intelligence changing the way knowledge is created? Examine AI's growing role in academic research, including how researchers use emerging tools to accelerate discovery, approach complex questions, and navigate the ethical and practical implications of AI-assisted scholarship.

Panelists

Sebastian Porsdam Mann, Assistant Professor, CeBIL, University of Copenhagen

Sebastian Porsdam Mann is an Assistant Professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Center for Advanced Studies in Bioscience Innovation Law. With training spanning philosophy, neuroscience, applied ethics, and international human rights law, his research examines how emerging technologies can advance scientific progress while navigating ethical and regulatory challenges. His work has directly explored generative AI in academic writing and idea generation, as well as AI's potential role in the future of academic peer review, positioning him to address both the opportunities and risks AI creates throughout the research process. 

Chad Pasha, Education at OpenAI

Sarah H. Salter, Director of the Writing Program & Professor of Pedagogy, Emory University

Sarah H. Salter is a Teaching Professor and Director of the Writing Program at Emory University whose research focuses on American literature, periodical studies, collaboration, and digital humanities. Her scholarship has included interdisciplinary work using machine-learning methods to analyze the visual structures of historical newspapers, combining literary study, library science, and computational approaches. Her perspective brings an important humanities dimension to the conversation about how computational tools and AI are changing research methods, scholarly interpretation, writing, and knowledge production. 

Allegra Smith, Assistant Professor of Technical Communication, School of Literature, Media, and Communication, Georgia Institute of Technology

Allegra Smith is an Assistant Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Literature, Media, and Communication whose research examines technical and professional communication, digital technologies, user experience, access, and equity. Her teaching and research include work involving generative AI, digital communication, and undergraduate research, alongside extensive scholarship on how people interact with technology. She brings a valuable perspective on how AI is affecting research, writing, communication, pedagogy, and the experiences of the people using these emerging tools. 

The IAC Dinner with Alumni series offers a unique opportunity to hear about different career paths, gain insights from alumni experiences, ask questions, and build connections that can last beyond the dinner table.

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Fred Wherry is the Townsend Marin, Class of 1917 Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, where he is also the Vice Dean for Faculty Development and Inclusion, and founder of the Debt Collection Lab.

Marie-Lou Laprise is a postgraduate research associate in the Department of Sociology at Princeton University. A quantitative and computational sociologist, she studies collective intelligence and the social impact of AI. 

Over a quarter of Americans report that their household has been contacted by a debt collector in the past year, and for many, this is their primary encounter with the institutions that enforce private claims. Building on the concepts of predatory inclusion and legal estrangement, we argue that civil debt enforcement constitutes a distinct, stratified pathway to institutional distrust—one that parallels and compounds the criminal justice pathway. We introduce the concept of financial estrangement to theorize how the terms of households' inclusion in credit markets shape their relations with the institutions that enforce private claims. Our concept of financial estrangement brings together concerns from economic sociology, law and society, criminal justice, and race and inequality, and applies them to the context of the marketplace for consumer debt. Drawing on an original probabilistic survey of 2,115 U.S. adults, we show that debt-collection contact is pervasive, racially unequal, and not reducible to differences in household income or financial hardship. Americans overwhelmingly find widespread debt-collection practices unfair, particularly those who have experienced them. Careful analysis reveals that debt-collection contact is associated with perceiving courts as rarely or never fair, even after accounting for hardship levels, income, race/ethnicity, and arrest history. These findings suggest that civil legal processes tied to mass debt contribute to race- and class-stratified patterns of institutional trust.

This special evening brings together alumni, students, faculty, staff, supporters, family, and friends to celebrate the achievements of our outstanding Yellow Jackets and recognize the lasting impact of an Ivan Allen College education.

Guests will have the opportunity to connect with members of the Ivan Allen College community, hear inspiring stories, and celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s distinguished honorees.

There is no cost to attend this year’s event. Guests are asked to RSVP in advance to help us plan appropriately for seating, catering, and the overall guest experience.

Join us for an evening of celebration, connection, and recognition as we honor the remarkable alumni and supporters who continue to make a difference across Georgia Tech, their professions, and communities around the world.

Whether your background is in communications, public policy, business, media, or another discipline, this Trek offers valuable insight into real-world career paths, practical networking experience, and a firsthand look at what it takes to drive a major professional sports organization. Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot to connect with fellow Yellow Jackets and explore your career possibilities!

Please complete the registration form to indicate your interest by Oct. 23 at 4:30 p.m. Note: Completing the form does not confirm your registration. Only 30 spots are available, and you will receive a follow-up email if your application is accepted. 

What does creativity mean when machines can generate images, music, writing, and other forms of creative work? Explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creative industries, changing the relationship between technology and human expression, and raising new questions around authorship, originality, labor, and the future of creative work.

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly capable of conversation, companionship, and emotional responsiveness, what happens to our understanding of human connection? Unpack AI, empathy, intimacy, and relationships while considering what it means to form meaningful connections in an increasingly AI-mediated world.