Stony Brook University Libraries is Partnering with Ithaka S+R on “Making AI Generative for Higher Education”

Posted on July 5, 2023 by Sharon Williams

Stony Brook University Libraries is excited to announce we will be partnering with Ithaka S+R and a cohort of select other universities on a new multi-year research project titled Making AI Generative for Higher Education. Leading this initiative is the Knowledge Management & Digital Assets Librarian, Dana Reijerkerk, who will be coordinating Stony Brook University’s engagement in this project. The Libraries will work with colleagues in the Office of the Provost and Academic Affairs as well as the Office of Enterprise Risk Management.

Collectively partners in the Making AI Generative for Higher Education research project will “assess the immediate and emerging AI applications most likely to impact teaching, learning, and research and explore the long-term needs of institutions, instructors, and scholars as they navigate this environment.”

Other universities participating include: Bryant University, Carnegie Mellon University, Concordia University, Duke University, East Carolina University, McMaster University, Princeton University, Queen’s University, Temple University, University of Arizona, University of Baltimore, University of Chicago, University of Connecticut, University of Delaware, University of Manchester, University of New Mexico, University of North Texas, Wesleyan University, and Yale University.

Karim Boughida, Dean of Stony Brook University Libraries, is an AI advocate and an early AI adopter. According to Dean Boughida, “participating in research studies exploring generative AI in higher education is like opening the doors to a library of infinite possibilities. We want AI to amplify our ability to educate, connect and inspire. At the same time, we want AI to embody diversity, equity fairness, inclusivity, and transparency.”

How will the project work?

During the first year, the project will comprehensively review the areas of university activity most affected by this emerging technology. The project will kick-off with an assessment exercise where the cohort will gauge the readiness of their campuses to productively leverage generative AI technologies for teaching and research purposes. In parallel, Ithaka S+R will comprehensively review relevant technological, policy, service, and product developments and publish updates from the project’s initial activities by the end of 2023.

In winter 2024, the project will focus on gathering perspectives from those working with generative AI technologies in a variety of disciplines. Ithaka S+R and the participating universities will conduct semi-structured interviews with instructors and researchers, which will create the largest qualitative dataset to date on the higher education use-case. In 2024, the project will also release a public report to share the findings.

The project’s second year focuses on developing institution-specific strategies for each cohort member. To update our collective understanding of cutting-edge developments, the project will also publish an updated landscape review. During this phase the cohort will participate together in design workshops to surface areas for on-campus intervention. Each university partner will also create or revise their university’s campus-wide strategy statement on generative AI and develop and implement a preliminary plan for working with campus support to ensure broader implementation.

At the conclusion of the project, Ithaka S+R will publish shared findings and observations from all three project phases, with input from the cohort.

For more information, see the Ithaka S+R project announcement.