AI and Education Conference in Lima, Peru
The journey began in Lima, Peru, where Professor Yaspik presented at an international conference on artificial intelligence and education—a return to the region following º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s successful participation with former students Ari Bersch' 25 and Ian Stebbins '25.
Her presentation at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), titled “The Power of Large Language Models for the Social Sciences,” explored how generative AI tools can both inform and challenge traditional modes of inquiry in liberal-arts education.
“AI is not simply a digitial artifact we study,” Yaspik explained. “It’s a living system that reflects our values, biases, and creativity as humans. Our work at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ seeks to understand this relationship from both directions—the bidirectionality of digital artifacts.”
Building Bridges in Brazil
Following the conference, Yaspik traveled to Brazil for a series of workshops, all conducted fully in Portuguese, that focused on AI in education. This programming was organized in collaboration with municipal and federal institutions.
At the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, she led a workshop on integrating data science and critical humanities perspectives in classroom teaching.
A highlight of the trip was the visit to Escola Agrícola de Jundiaí—the former school of º£½ÇÖ±²¥'s Ana Lopes ’27, now a standout in the Digital and Computational Studies program. There, Yaspik was welcomed by more than 100 students for an interactive session exploring how AI can be used responsibly in research and learning. A separate workshop was held for the school’s faculty, fostering dialogue about technology’s role in shaping equitable and ethical education.
Yaspik also gave a keynote presentation at Parnamirim Federal School, engaging the entire teaching staff in a discussion on AI literacy and the challenges of preparing students for a rapidly evolving digital world.
Visiting a Leading Neuroscience Institution
The academic tour concluded at the Instituto Internacional de Neurociências (Natal, Brazil), one of Latin America’s leading research institutions in neuroscience and computational modeling. There, Yaspik met with researchers to discuss possible collaborations around the intersection of AI, brain science, and human learning — further strengthening º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s international partnerships.
Looking Ahead: Data Science Lab and the Hastings Initiative
Throughout her presentations, Yaspik highlighted her upcoming Data Science Lab, set to launch in summer 2026, which will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of data, ethics, and society.
This vision aligns directly with the Hastings Initiative for AI and Humanity, a landmark effort at º£½ÇÖ±²¥ supported by alumnus Reed Hastings ’83.
“The conversations we’ve had in Peru and Brazil reaffirm how essential it is for liberal arts institutions to engage directly with technology,” Yaspik reflected. “Our goal is not only to understand how we shape digital artifacts, but also how those artifacts, in turn, shape us. That is at the heart of the Hastings Initiative and º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s approach to the study of technology and society."
º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s Commitment to Global, Interdisciplinary Inquiry
The trip exemplifies º£½ÇÖ±²¥’s commitment to global engagement and to empowering students and faculty to explore the social, cultural, and ethical dimensions of technology. Through these international collaborations—and through institutional initiatives like the Hastings Initiative for AI and Humanity—º£½ÇÖ±²¥ continues to position itself at the forefront of AI and humanities research, connecting liberal arts education with the world’s most pressing technological questions.
