Hosted by the Data Science and AI Academy, Data Science and AI Week 2025 invited NC State University—students, faculty, staff and partners—to explore how data science and artificial intelligence (AI) are shaping teaching, learning, research and creative work. The week’s events stretched across campus and reflected the collaborative spirit that drives data science and AI at NC State.

“I’ve been working at NC State for 28 years,” said Jeffery Robinson, a video production specialist with NC State Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications (DELTA). “I’ve seen our educational technology change from overhead cameras and projectors to smart boards — and now to AI. With every transition, there are challenges. People don’t always want to adapt. But I’ve found that AI doesn’t stifle creativity; it enhances it. The sooner people learn to use it as a tool that can help them, the quicker they’ll find ways to integrate it into their workflow. Students will be expected to use AI in the future, so college is the perfect time for them to learn how to use it responsibly and effectively.”

Robinson was one of several faculty and staff who gathered during Data Science and AI Week to discuss how AI is reshaping their work and their thinking. In a conversation led by Sarah Egan Warren, Assistant Teaching Professor and DELTA Faculty Fellow, participants shared their thoughts, fears and experiences with AI. 

Throughout the discussion, participants agreed that understanding AI begins with understanding each other. They spoke about the need for cross-campus collaboration, shared training and open dialogue about what responsible AI looks like in practice. Those same themes echoed throughout the week’s events — from data workshops and interdisciplinary panels to art installations and performances connecting technology and creativity.

The week opened with a collaboration between DSA, Google and NC State’s Office of Information Technology, where Google Gemini welcomed more than 450 students and 100 faculty and staff for interactive demos and workshops. Faculty explored classroom applications and raised thought-provoking questions about AI’s place in higher education. Students worked side by side with Googlers to test Gemini’s capabilities and imagine what AI could mean for their own learning.

Throughout the week, the DSA Speaker Series invited participants to take part in experiences that made data science and AI tangible. Amanda Ferreira, a postdoctoral researcher at the Universidade de São Paulo, led an activity that asked attendees to think like a regression model— using decision trees to approach everyday questions in new ways. Returning speaker Carlos Andre Reis Pinheiro from SAS led a session on network optimization, encouraging participants to “understand how models are built and prepared, then connect outcomes to real benefits.”

Other sessions across campus showcased how data and AI intersect with creativity, community and wellbeing. Participants explored the evolving relationship between machine learning and traditional analysis during the NC State Statistics Department Mu Sigma Rho Fall Lecture, while the EQUAL Speaker Series examined how AI shapes ethics and access. NC State LIVE’s presentation of NOLI TIMERE by choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman transformed Stewart Theatre into a fusion of art, engineering and movement — a living example of what it means to “be not afraid” of innovation. The Gregg Museum’s Radical Softness exhibition extended this creative dialogue, showing how art and technology can provoke reflection and connection.

At the DSA Launchpad Lunch, students met with professionals, including Eric Warren and Emily Surrell from Resolution Economics, to discuss careers at the intersection of data, analytics and AI. “You never know where you’ll end up,” said Warren. “Data touches every field now, and the more you stay open to new experiences, the more adaptable and valuable you become.” Warren graduated from NC State in 2024 after serving as a DSA Course Collaboration Leader. While representing DSA at a DSA Career Expo, Warren learned about his current employer. He now returns to NC State to recruit for Resolution Economics and mentor students interested in data science careers.

In another session, faculty from across campus reflected on how AI is changing not just their tools, but their teaching. As one participant noted, “If we’re going to teach people how to use AI, we need to know how to use AI ourselves.”

The week concluded with conversations that underscored the same themes heard throughout: curiosity, collaboration and a shared interest in using AI thoughtfully across teaching, research and creative practice.

The theme of the week, “Be curious about data science and AI,” resonated across campus. Whether through a workshop, a performance or a moment of reflection, the Wolfpack was curious.

As the DSA continues to build learning pathways and partnerships across NC State, that curiosity will carry forward — shaping how we teach, how we collaborate and how we use data science and AI for the public good.

Learn about more ways to get involved with DSA at go.ncsu.edu/dsa.