AI Network
Overview
The NIU AI Network is a community of practice dedicated to exploring and advancing AI in ways that are ethical, equitable and aligned with our campus mission and values.
By fostering collaboration and sharing of resources, the AI Network equips the community to navigate AI’s complexities. Our goals are to:
- Provide a space for connecting NIU community members (including faculty, staff and students) who work with or are curious about AI, to learn from and with each other.
- Facilitate the discovery and sharing of AI use cases, needs and approaches that support NIU’s mission and values.
- Promote understanding of AI’s risks and trade-offs to support teaching and learning.
Meetings
The AI Network meets via Microsoft Teams every other Wednesday from noon to 1 PM. Session topics will be selected by the coordinating team, which will consist of faculty, staff and student representatives.
Summer 2026
For summer, we will focus more on staff use cases, although faculty and students are still welcome to join the meetings!
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June 3: Staff Panel featuring Ashley Bartelt, Kristin Brynteston, Dara Little, Christina Pilling, and Jade Silva Tovar
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June 17: Hands-on with Microsoft Copilot Chat
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July 1: AI Prompting Techniques
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July 15: Using AI as a Writing Partner (featuring Amanda Hirsch & Eric Hoffman)
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July 29: TBD
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August 12: TBD
Membership
Membership in the NIU AI Network is open to all NIU faculty, staff and students. Once you join the network, we will add you to the Microsoft Team and send you meeting invitations for the upcoming sessions.
Leadership
The AI Network Coordinating team will include faculty, staff, and student representation from across the university. The team helps to shape session themes, recruits presenters and serves as leaders within the AI Network.
- Federico Bassetti, associate director for Innovation Ecosystem Development, Division of Research and Innovation Partnerships
- Heidi Frostestad, associate dean for Academic Affairs, College of Law
- David Grewell, dean, College of Engineering and Engineering Technology
- Ruperto Herrera, information technology director, Division of Information Technology
- Wei-Chen Hung, chair, Department of Educational Technology, Research and Assessment
- Andy Jeon, assistant professor, Department of Marketing
- Ryan Shepherd, associate professor and director of First Year Composition, Department of English
- Bradley Wiles, associate professor and head of Special Collections, University Libraries
- Liz Wright, executive assistant, Office of the President