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Cal Poly Pomona Hosts 2026 Office of Academic Innovation Summer Conference on Human-Centered AI
When the sun rose over Cal Poly Pomona on June 3, 2026, the campus hummed with a different kind of energy—a buzz of ideas about how artificial intelligence could shape the future of teaching, learning, and campus life.
The two‑day event, titled "Human at the Core: Navigating AI in Higher Education," unfolded in the College of Business Administration (Building 162, Room 1001) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. According to the conference schedule posted on the university’s website, sessions were divided into two tracks—AI in the Classroom and AI Outside the Classroom—offering a mix of keynote addresses, workshops, and panel discussions.
The program drew three high‑profile keynote speakers. Frank Würthwein, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California, San Diego, spoke on research computing; Andrew Currah, an education‑leadership executive at Apple, shared insights on educational innovation; and Tiffany Zhu, assistant professor of global ethics and technology at Old Dominion University, examined the ethical responsibilities that accompany the growing use of AI in higher‑education settings.
Throughout the conference, presenters explored practical applications of AI and emerging technologies, offering strategies for integrating tools that support student success, boost productivity, and strengthen learning outcomes. Topics ranged from course design and assessment to student engagement, research, advising, and administrative workflows. Attendees debated how AI can be leveraged responsibly while addressing concerns related to ethics, equity, sustainability, and academic integrity.
Several faculty members shared their own experiences using AI. Civil‑engineering professor Monica Palomo described how she employed ChatGPT and Codex to build a website, design a flyer, extract information from videos, and organize ideas quickly. "AI should be used intentionally—not to replace our creativity or judgment, but to amplify our ability to learn, design, and solve problems responsibly," she said, echoing a recurring theme that AI is most impactful when it augments human capabilities.
Nutrition and food‑science faculty Belal Hasan highlighted AI as a partner that can accelerate data analysis, flavor‑compound modeling, and process optimization. "The true value still lies in human judgment—interpreting results within cultural contexts and translating findings into commercial food products," he noted. Career‑coach David Peña emphasized AI’s potential to expand educational opportunities and prepare students for the future workforce, adding that "these technologies give us unprecedented opportunities to expand access, personalize learning, and empower students to move beyond consuming knowledge to creating solutions, discoveries, and ideas that may shape the future."
The conference underscored Cal Poly Pomona’s commitment to innovation. The university is advancing initiatives in AI, cybersecurity, and geographic information systems that empower students, faculty, and industry partners to collaborate, conduct research, and develop solutions for emerging challenges. According to the Office of Academic Innovation, the university will continue to offer professional‑development opportunities that encourage experimentation, collaboration, and responsible innovation.
In sum, the 2026 Office of Academic Innovation Summer Conference reinforced the importance of keeping human connection, creativity, and critical thinking at the center of AI adoption in higher education. The event highlighted practical strategies for integrating AI responsibly while stressing the need for institutional values and student needs to guide innovation.
For more information about the conference and upcoming professional‑development opportunities, the Office of Academic Innovation invites interested parties to visit its website or contact ai@cpp.edu.
The two‑day event, titled "Human at the Core: Navigating AI in Higher Education," unfolded in the College of Business Administration (Building 162, Room 1001) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day. According to the conference schedule posted on the university’s website, sessions were divided into two tracks—AI in the Classroom and AI Outside the Classroom—offering a mix of keynote addresses, workshops, and panel discussions.
The program drew three high‑profile keynote speakers. Frank Würthwein, director of the San Diego Supercomputer Center at the University of California, San Diego, spoke on research computing; Andrew Currah, an education‑leadership executive at Apple, shared insights on educational innovation; and Tiffany Zhu, assistant professor of global ethics and technology at Old Dominion University, examined the ethical responsibilities that accompany the growing use of AI in higher‑education settings.
Throughout the conference, presenters explored practical applications of AI and emerging technologies, offering strategies for integrating tools that support student success, boost productivity, and strengthen learning outcomes. Topics ranged from course design and assessment to student engagement, research, advising, and administrative workflows. Attendees debated how AI can be leveraged responsibly while addressing concerns related to ethics, equity, sustainability, and academic integrity.
Several faculty members shared their own experiences using AI. Civil‑engineering professor Monica Palomo described how she employed ChatGPT and Codex to build a website, design a flyer, extract information from videos, and organize ideas quickly. "AI should be used intentionally—not to replace our creativity or judgment, but to amplify our ability to learn, design, and solve problems responsibly," she said, echoing a recurring theme that AI is most impactful when it augments human capabilities.
Nutrition and food‑science faculty Belal Hasan highlighted AI as a partner that can accelerate data analysis, flavor‑compound modeling, and process optimization. "The true value still lies in human judgment—interpreting results within cultural contexts and translating findings into commercial food products," he noted. Career‑coach David Peña emphasized AI’s potential to expand educational opportunities and prepare students for the future workforce, adding that "these technologies give us unprecedented opportunities to expand access, personalize learning, and empower students to move beyond consuming knowledge to creating solutions, discoveries, and ideas that may shape the future."
The conference underscored Cal Poly Pomona’s commitment to innovation. The university is advancing initiatives in AI, cybersecurity, and geographic information systems that empower students, faculty, and industry partners to collaborate, conduct research, and develop solutions for emerging challenges. According to the Office of Academic Innovation, the university will continue to offer professional‑development opportunities that encourage experimentation, collaboration, and responsible innovation.
In sum, the 2026 Office of Academic Innovation Summer Conference reinforced the importance of keeping human connection, creativity, and critical thinking at the center of AI adoption in higher education. The event highlighted practical strategies for integrating AI responsibly while stressing the need for institutional values and student needs to guide innovation.
For more information about the conference and upcoming professional‑development opportunities, the Office of Academic Innovation invites interested parties to visit its website or contact ai@cpp.edu.
