Keynote Speakers

 

 

Prof. Elliot Soloway,  University of Michigan, USA
 

Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, College of Engineering
Co-Director, Center for Digital Curricula, University of Michigan, USA

 

Elliot Soloway is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI. In 2001, the UMich undergraduates selected him to receive the “Golden Apple Award” as the Outstanding Teacher of the Year at the University of Michigan. In 2004 and in 2011, students in the College of Engineering HKN Honor Society selected Dr. Soloway to receive the “Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award.”
40 years ago as an artificial intelligence researcher, Dr. Elliot Soloway was drawn to the challenge of how to make computers learn. But, after the birth of his first child, he had an epiphany: Making children smarter would be a much better use of his time than making computers smarter. This inspired him to stop doing AI research altogether and start working on educational technology. But as a college professor with little experience in education technology, he needed someone who really understood K-12.

 

Co-speaker

 

Prof. Cathleen Norris, University of North Texas, USA

Associate Dean of Research, College of Information
Co-Director, Center for Digital Curricula, University of Michigan, USA

 

Cathleen Norris is a Regents Professor in the Department of Learning Technologies, College of Information, at the University of North Texas, Denton, TX. From 1995-2001, Norris was President of the National Educational Computing Association (NCEA), and led its merger with ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, creating the largest, international organization for technology-minded educators in the world. Norris was Co-President of ISTE from 2001-2004. Norris’ 14 years in K-12 classrooms – receiving a Golden Apple Award from Dallas ISD along the way – has shaped her university R&D agenda: developing resources to support K-12 teachers as they move into 21st century classrooms.
Norris has also given presentations on educational technology all over the world for the past 20+ years and is the co-founder of GoKnow, Inc., a Dallas-based company that supports K-12 in using mobile learning devices.

 

 

Prof. Irina Lyublinskaya, Columbia University, USA

 

Irina Lyublinskaya received her Ph.D. in Theoretical and Mathematical Physics from Leningrad State University in 1991. She has taught at the university as well as the high school level for over 30 years. Among her research interests are topics of integrating technology into mathematics and science education, pre-service and in-service professional development of STEM teachers, curriculum development, and international STEM education. She is a recipient of various awards for teaching excellence, including Radioshack/Tandy Prize for Teaching Excellence in Mathematics, Science, and Computer Science, NSTA Distinguished Science Teaching Award and citation, Education’s Unsung Heroes Award for innovation in the classroom, and NSTA Vernier Technology Award. In 2011, she was inducted to the NYS Mathematics Educators Hall of Fame. In 2019 she was elected as a full member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. She is a recipient of several outstanding paper awards from AACE and SITE, an author/co-author of 16 books, 14 book chapters, and has published substantially in academic journals.

 

Title: Integrating AI literacy into STEM teaching and learning: From theory to practice

 

Abstract: In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way we teach, learn, and prepare the next generation for the challenges of the 21st century. Growing influence of AI in schools requires teachers to have essential knowledge and skills to use, design, and adapt AI literacy into their curriculum. In the past, students learned about AI in school from their computer science teachers. Thus, the majority of early AI resources and curricula were developed for teachers who had prior training and experience in programming. As AI-powered experiences and applications become an increasingly important part of everyday personal and professional life, being AI literate becomes an important component of K-12 digital literacy and digital citizenship.
This presentation introduces a pedagogical framework for integrating AI literacy into STEM teaching and learning. It moves beyond traditional, programming-centric approaches to provide educators with practical strategies for implementation across grade bands and subject areas, fostering interdisciplinary connections. The framework is grounded in three key theoretical foundations: the Five Big Ideas in AI, which define core AI concepts; the human-centered design approach, which provides a structured methodology for teaching with AI; and the Science of Learning and Development (SoLD) framework, which ensures inclusivity and accessibility. This framework also provides a foundation for discussing the ethical and societal implications of AI.
Through concrete examples, this keynote bridges the gap between theory and practice and demonstrates how to design lessons that integrate core AI concepts into existing STEM curriculum to empower educators to cultivate AI literacy, preparing students to become informed, responsible, and innovative contributors in the age of AI.

 

 

Prof. Qun Jin, Waseda University, Japan

 

AAIA Fellow

 

Qun Jin is a professor in the Department of Human Informatics and Cognitive Sciences, Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Japan. He has been extensively engaged in research works in the fields of computer science, information systems, and human informatics, with a focus on understanding and supporting humans through convergent research. His recent research interests cover behavior and cognitive informatics, health informatics, artificial intelligence and machine learning, big data, personal analytics and individual modeling, trustworthy platforms for data federation, sharing, and utilization, cyber-physical-social systems, and applications in healthcare and learning support and for the realization of a carbon-neutral society. He authored or co-authored several monographs and more than 400 refereed papers published in academic journals and international conference proceedings. He is a foreign fellow of the Engineering Academy of Japan (EAJ) and a fellow of the Asia-Pacific Artificial Intelligence Association (AAIA).

 

 

Prof. Xi Chen, Nanjing University, China

 

Chair of Marketing and Electronic Business Department

 

Xi Chen, Ph.D., Full Professor, Ph.D. Supervisor, Chair of Marketing and Electronic Business Department, Nanjing University, Visiting Scholar of Michael G. Foster School of Business, University of Washington. He authors more than 110 refereed journal/international conference papers and book chapters, more than 90 papers among them have been indexed by SCI/SSCI and EI, including lots of papers in UTD list and JCR I section. He has published 3 monographs and owned several national authorized patents. He is the project chief and sub-project leader of more than 30 Foundations, including the key project of the National Natural Science Foundation, the key project of the National Social Sciences Foundation, National Science Foundation, and National Ministry of Education Science Foundation, and so on. He is the innovation team leader of Nanjing University. He got the Youth Award of Management in China. Best Paper Awards of the Chinese Academy of System Simulation and China Information Economics Society, Outstanding Achievement Award of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Jiangsu Province and so on. He has been elected to the Ministry of Education for New Century Excellent Talents Scheme since 2011, and 5 high-level talent plans in Jiangsu Province. He is the chair and the commissioner of some international/national academic associations, the chair of some technical committees, the chair of the organization committee of some refereed conferences, and the associate editor and editorial member of some refereed international journals and conferences. His research interests include business intelligence, services engineering and management, digital economy and complex systems.

 

 

 

More speakers will be added soon...