Fall 2026
MICDE State of AI & the Future of Institutions
September 23, 2026 @ 3 PM in Forum Hall in Palmer Commons
Hosted by MICDE, the State of AI & the Future of Institutions event brings together scholars, students, and institutional leaders to examine the rapid evolution of AI and its implications for knowledge, research, education, work, governance, and society. Held twice a year, the series creates a forum for timely, cross-disciplinary discussion of AI’s emerging capabilities, limitations, and consequences.
Date: Wednesday, September 23
Time: 3 – 5 PM
Location: Forum Hall, Palmer Commons,
Washtenaw Ave, Ann Arbor
AGENDA
| Time | Speaker / Panelist | Title / Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 PM | Rick Lewis (Cognitive science) | |
| 3:10 PM | Mike Wellman (Computer Science/COE) | |
| 3:20 PM | Henriette Elvang (Physics) | |
| 3:30 PM | Kate Cagney (Social Research) | |
| 3:40 PM | Jason Owen Smith (Institutional Capabilities and Research Intelligence) | |
| 3:50 PM | Joan Nwatu (Grad student CSE) | Student perspective |
| 4:00 PM | Panel: Chandra Sripada (Philosophy/Psychiatry), Karen Smith (Math), Venkat Raman (Aerospace/AI for science), Mike Wellman (CSE/COE) | Moderator: Karthik Duraisamy |
| 5:00 PM | Reception |
PARTICIPANTS
Henriette Elvang
Arthur F. Thurnau Professor and Oskar Klein Collegiate Professor of Physics
Chair of the Physics Department
Michael Wellman
Lynn A. Conway Collegiate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
College of Engineering Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Karen E. Smith
William Fulton Distinguished University Professor of Mathematics
Chair of the Mathematics Department
Richard Lewis
John R. Anderson Collegiate Professor of Psychology, Linguistics and Cognitive Science
Kathleen Cagney
Professor of Sociology
Director of the U-M Institute for Social Research
Venkat Raman
James Arthur Nicholls Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering, Director of the C-PRIME Center
Jason Owen-Smith
Associate Vice President for Research – Institutional Capabilities and Research Intelligence; Professor of Sociology and Organizational Studies; Professor of Public Policy; Research Professor, Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research
Chandra Sripada
Theophile Raphael Research Professor, Professor of Philosophy and Psychiatry
Director, Weinberg Institute for Cognitive Science
Joan Nwatu
Graduate Student,
Computer Science and Engineering, University of Michigan
