University Research Symposium

Overview

With programming created by the Research Leadership Academy and hosted by the Office of Research and Innovation, the 2025 University Research Symposium was focused on navigating a new age between research and artificial intelligence (AI).

This forum was aimed at fostering connections among researchers and scholars, creating a space to explore collaborative opportunities, forging new partnerships and collectively shaping the future of research at NC State.

Explore the program’s resources below. Please contact NC State Research with any inquiries.

Keynote Speaker | Dr. Terri Long

• Dr. Terri Long is a leading plant scientist at North Carolina State University, where she’s a professor and University Faculty Scholar in the Department of Plant and Microbial Biology. She leads the GRAD AID for Ag program, combining plant science and AI for sustainable agriculture.
• AI: Expanding the Tools in Your Think and Do Toolkit Slides

AI Tools in Action | NC State University Libraries

• Kristy Borda and Shannon Ricci provided a high-level overview of AI tools that the Libraries have been utilizing, with a focus on practical applications for research and academic work. It included hands-on activities to give attendees the opportunity to practice using Gemini with specific use cases. The presentation also addressed the appropriate use of AI tools in research and publishing, including NC State’s AI policies.
• AI Tools in Action Slides

Funding and Engagement Opportunities | Various NC State Entities

• The Office of Research and Innovation reached out to various NC State entities and was provided with some exciting opportunities. This is not an exhaustive list.
• Funding and Engagement Opportunities Slides

Faculty Lightning Talks

• This was a set of fast-paced presentations showcasing the ways NC State faculty utilized or incorporated artificial intelligence in their research or scholarship.

Panel | Collaboration and Ethics in AI

• As AI continues to shape research across disciplines, this panel discussed topics that affect the core pillars of how we fundamentally do research. Notable questions included:
  • 1) How does AI shape interdisciplinarity and collaborations? 
  • 2) How do we integrate awareness of AI into the curriculum and research activities across all disciplines? and 
  • 3) What are the social and ethical considerations when embedding AI into how we do research?
• Panelists:
  • Cranos Williams, College of Engineering (moderator)
  • Ray Levy, Executive Director, Data Science and AI Academy
  • Veljko Dubljevic, Director of the Center for AI in Society and Ethics (CASE) 
  • Darby Orcutt, Director of Interdisciplinary Partnerships, NC State University Libraries
  • Jennie Ofstein, Director of IRB
  • Huiling Ding, Director of Labor Analytics and Workforce Development at DSA