UMass Boston

Events

AI Applications Hackathon

October 7 to October 20

The purpose of a hackathon is to put aside distractions and get something done, something that might not otherwise be achieved because it is too ambitious or there are too many other responsibilities that take priority. Hackathons have been a way for many ideas to see the attention they might not otherwise get.

Teams develop a project statement should describe a modest problem that is solvable in a few days.Teams are not expected to complete every part of their problem statement, but in the spirit of a hackathon, should make significant progress. Two members of Paul English’s team will be available to help guild and shape project statements into achievable goals.

Teams will submit their results in the form of a working demo or “slide-ware”. Slide-ware is when the idea is thoroughly explored and presented, but not built, ideal for projects that have more technical work than can be realistically accomplished in the allotted time.

Learn about the Hackathon  Register for Hackathon

On October 27, winning teams will be notified and invited to talk at the AI Symposium  
 
Prizes will be awarded and presentations given during the AI for All Symposium on October 30. 

PEAAII AI Symposium

October 30, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Campus Center Ballroom

Hacakthon and student presentations, and panel discussion. Lunch will be served. Registration required. 

Register for Symposium

Prior related-events Fall '23 - Spring '24

PEAAII Launch Symposium, October 2023

​“Succeeding in an AI-Powered World,” which featured a panel with Paul English, ​Wei Ding, Nir Eisikovits, Ramesh Raskar of the MIT Media Lab, and John Werner ​of Link Ventures. The panel was followed by a robust Q&A.

Access recording

Applied Ethics Center Conference on AI and Work, November 2023

Through Nir Eisikowits, PEAAII has established an ongoing linkage with UMass ​Boston’s Applied Ethics Center. This fall, the center presented a major conference ​titled, “AI and the Future of Work,” hosted at UMass Boston. The Center also held a ​series of workshops on AI at the UMass Club for Boston youth, at which Wei Ding ​served as a speaker.

TEDxBoston at UMass Boston, January 2024

John Werner, organizer of TEDxBoston, hosted the TEDxBoston Nonprofit Leaders ​conference at UMass Boston on January 8. The event included a Q&A between Paul ​English and Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco on “cultivating kinder, gentler, ​more democratic AI.” The talks drew a large in-person audience and have ​collectively been viewed more than 12,000 times online.

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Fireside Chat on AI with the Attorney General, April 2024

On April 16, the Applied Ethics Center hosted Massachusetts Attorney General ​Andrea Campbell for a conversation on AI and consumer/civil rights. The Chancellor ​spoke extensively about PEAAII in his introduction.

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UMass system-wide forum on AI, April 2024

On April 11, PEAAII was featured at the UMass system’s forum on AI. Rajani Srikanth ​highlighted PEAAII during UMass Boston’s Campus Presentation. Professor Wei ​Ding was a featured presenter on the panel “Impact of AI in Research,” and Professor ​Nir Eisikovits presented on the panel “Equity and Ethics in AI Applications.”

University Conference on Teaching, Learning, and Technology, ​May 2024

The May 9 University Conference on Teaching, Learning and Technology, titled “The ​Good, the Bad, and the Unknown of AI,” included a panel of PEAAII Student Advisory ​Council members, as well as a discussion between faculty and librarians about the ​use of AI with students.

Past Events Fall 2024

A conversation with Paul English

September 11, 11:00 AM–Noon, Web Lab (M-3-731) and [Zoom].
Refreshments will be provided. 

Amanda Potasznik’s Talk on Ethics in AI

September 20, 11:00 AM–Noon, Zoom (Zoom ID TBD).