7.1. Transformative Talent Interns and Graduate Assistant Researchers’ Reflections
As a truly transdisciplinary collective, our team brought together diverse perspectives from education, design, technology, and the social and library sciences to critically and creatively explore how emerging technologies—like AI—can be integrated into teaching, learning, and community engagement. Our work is grounded in ethical inquiry, collaboration, and a shared commitment to socially responsible innovation.
Two graduate students—Alexandria Poppendorf and Mohammadmahdi Zanjanian—played a central role in the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange project. They saw strong alignment between their academic interests—such as participatory placemaking, inclusive curricula, and emerging technologies—and the project’s collaborative, transdisciplinary approach.
Through coordinating key aspects of the initiative, including organizing major events, liaising with guest speakers, and contributing to the open-access publication, they not only deepened their understanding of AI’s potential in higher education but also honed valuable skills in leadership, teamwork, and project management.
Bridgette Crabbe, responsible for the design and layout of this publication, views her involvement as an opportunity to meaningfully contribute to knowledge-sharing and accessible design in higher education.
Their detailed reflections on their involvement and learning:
Alexandria Poppendorf’s Reflection
As a Graduate Assistant Researcher (GAR) and Transformative Talent Intern (TTI), I had the opportunity to support the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange by helping plan the in-person event, coordinating volunteers, and contributing to the Pressbook publication. This experience offered valuable insight into how institutions are beginning to grapple with the implications of AI in educational contexts.
One recurring theme throughout the exchange was the idea of “ethical use” of AI. As a scholar of education and philosophy, I find this concept both necessary and under-theorized. It is often invoked without sufficient interrogation: Whose ethical frameworks are being referenced? What moral assumptions are embedded in our technologies and the ways in which we engage those technologies? And how do we ensure that historically marginalized perspectives are not excluded from these conversations?
Events like the AI Innovation in Higher Education Exchange are essential for fostering critical, inclusive dialogue in this time of rapidly changing educational technologies. They create space not only for sharing innovations but also for questioning and better developing the values that shape them. I am confident that this exchange marks the beginning of a broader, more nuanced conversation about ethics, power, and the future of AI in education. I’m very grateful to have been a part of this important work and would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the entire team and participants who made the event and publication possible.
Mohammadmahdi Zanjanian’s Reflection
As a graduate research assistant, I had the opportunity to support the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange by designing the event’s visual identity, assisting with the organization of the in-person event, and contributing to an open-access publication. This experience not only broadened my understanding of emerging technologies in higher education but also provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on my research on participatory placemaking through the lens of technological and educational innovation. At first glance, these fields may seem distinct; however, both are grounded in a shared commitment to inclusivity and democratized access. Just as AI innovation in academic contexts demands cross-disciplinary dialogue and ethical responsiveness, participatory placemaking invites diverse communities into the process of shaping urban space. This experience prompted me to think more critically about how tools and insights from AI innovation might inform and enrich community engagement practices.
Here are some of my key takeaways from this experience:
- Methodological Inspiration: AI-based participatory tools—such as chatbots, generative models, or interactive digital platforms—can support creative engagement and broaden community input.
- Framework Development: Decision-making and governance structures in AI innovation offer potential models for inclusive and collaborative approaches to planning.
- Institutional Learning: Insights from how higher education institutions coordinate transdisciplinary innovation can inform the planning of municipal or grassroots processes.
- Cross-Disciplinary Networking: Collaborations with educators, designers, and technologists engaged in AI initiatives can introduce new tools and perspectives to collaborative creation.
For me, the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange serves as a powerful reminder that whether exploring new technologies in the classroom or fostering public engagement in community, the most meaningful and lasting change occurs when initiatives are co-created with individuals, not merely delivered to them.
Being part of this inspiring work was a privilege. I warmly thank the entire team and participants for their collaboration and support throughout this journey.
Bridgette Crabbe’s Reflection
As a designer working at the intersection of visual communication and urban planning, I’m constantly thinking about how systems—whether digital, spatial, or visual – can shape our understanding of the world. During my time as a Graduate Assistant Researcher (GAR), I had the opportunity to contribute to the AI in Higher Education Innovation Exchange, where I helped photograph the event and contributed by designing the visual layout of the Pressbook publication that highlighted moments and insights from the exchange.
This experience reinforced the importance of intentional design; not just in the visual sense, but in the systems we create, the platforms we amplify, and the futures we imagine. Whether I’m designing a brand system or helping envision a more equitable urban space, I hope to carry this lens of ethics, inclusion, and curiosity with me. I’m grateful to have contributed to this exchange and look forward to continuing this conversation in my practice.
