Spring semester artificial intelligence forum kicks off Friday, March 6
Published: Mar 2, 2026 12:45 PM
By Joe McAdory
The weekly forum offers five presentations across the semester, in-person or via Zoom.
Intelligent systems are transforming medicine, security, communications and scientific discovery. But can these systems be deployed responsibly, securely and reliably?
Auburn University’s Spring 2026 AI@AU Forum will answer these questions, and more, bringing researchers and industry leaders to campus to examine alignment, trust, privacy protection, language modeling and data-driven drug development.
The forum, beginning Friday, March 6, and lasting through April 24, offers five hybrid presentations across the semester. Each begin at 10 a.m. Sessions will be held in ACLC Suite 259A (Biggio Center) or Foy 246, with virtual access available at https://auburn.zoom.us/j/81706339239.
Visit the Biggio Center website to register.
“Across disciplines, the focus is shifting toward building systems people can trust,” said Gerry Dozier, technical lead of the AI@AU Initiative and director of the Auburn University Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Engineering (AUCAICE). “This series brings together leaders who are advancing research in ways that prioritize integrity, security and real-world impact.”
Lectures are as follows:
- March 6: From Nuts and Bolts to Alignment: Harnessing AI for Relevance and Integrity: Abraar Ahmed, staff data scientist, Fandom (Suite 259 ACLC, Biggio Center)
- March 20: Trustworthy AI: Xi Li, assistant professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Alabama at Birmingham (Foy 246)
- March 27: AI and Cancelable Biometrics: Michael King, professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Florida Institute of Technology (Suite 259 ACLC, Biggio Center)
- April 17: AI and Computational Linguistics: Marisha Speights, assistant professor, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University (Suite 259 ACLC, Biggio Center)
- April 24: AI for Natural Products, Drug Discovery and Development: Angela Calderon, professor, Harrison College of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Auburn University (Foy 246)
“Events like these help ensure that Auburn University remains at the forefront of responsible AI,” Dozier said. “We’re committed to preparing our students, researchers and partners for a future where intelligent systems are developed and deployed with care.”
The AI@AU initiative was founded in 2022 and spearheaded the growth of AI research and education at Auburn. Since its creation, AI@AU has assembled a university-wide multi-disciplinary faculty team to expand AI research and education, developed a computational infrastructure for AI research and education, opened a new center for AI and cybersecurity research (AUCAICE), explored university-wide educational innovations in AI.
Media Contact: , jem0040@auburn.edu, 334.844.3447