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If you are interested in creating course modules that reimagine and create alternatives to dominant BigTech models of AI/ML development, while making use of human-centered and community-driven approaches and a critical socio-technical lens, please consider applying to Our Reimagining AI Faculty Fellows program for an exchange that will support the development of new course content in partnership with our team.

The Team / The Project: We are an interdisciplinary team from Olin College of Engineering, Northeastern University, and Tufts University. As part of a three-year project funded by the NSF (link to project abstract), we are seeking to collaborate with faculty members from other institutions who might want to co-develop curricular materials based on our ongoing project.

So far we have developed a rich case study that incorporates community-engaged design, critical sociotechnical frameworks, artificial intelligence, and app design. The case study consists of videos, photos, audio recordings, interview notes, design activities, app prototypes, and machine learning models that explore the potential for an AI-powered notetaking app to support employment for people who are blind and visually impaired. We are implementing and evaluating this case study in Olin’s machine learning course, and we believe that the same materials could be informative for faculty at other institutions and in other types of courses (e.g., human-computer interaction, accessible design and technology, software development, app development) as part of this knowledge-share program.

The Reimagining AI Faculty Fellows will engage in a collaborative creative process of reimagining how ML course materials fit into their curriculum and institutional context. Key features of the program include the following:

  • This collaboration will start during the run up to summer 2026, intensify during a one-week on-site visit to Olin College (in the Greater Boston Area in Needham, MA) in early June, and continue throughout the summer as needed to prepare the materials for your course.
  • A one-week on-site visit at Olin College, collaborating with the faculty and student team: June 8-12, 2026.
  • The opportunity to join our study on the effectiveness of the co-developed curricular materials. We’re studying the impact of these materials on student learning at Olin, and we’d love to extend our study to include you and your students (e.g., through co-publishing a paper).
  • Travel, meals, and lodging to visit Olin College for the 1-week intensive engagement.
  • A stipend of $3,000 to support your collaboration with us.

If you are interested in applying to participate in the Reimagining AI Faculty Fellows program, please ensure that you meet the following criteria:

  1. You are teaching a course where the curricular materials can be incorporated either in Fall 2026 or Spring 2027.
  2. You are willing to travel to Olin College from June 8-12, 2026.
  3. You are willing to collaborate with our group to study the effectiveness of the materials developed during the workshop.

Please use the following link to fill out an application. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the research team with any questions you might have (email Dr. Paul Ruvolo pruvolo@olin.edu).

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis. For full consideration, please apply by 12/15/2025.

Thank you for your consideration,

Dr. Paul Ruvolo (Professor of Computer Science, Olin College of Engineering)
Dr. Caitrin Lynch (Professor of Anthropology, Olin College of Engineering)
Dr. Leah Horgan (Distinguished Fellow, Northeastern University)
Dr. Chelsea Andrews (Research Assistant Professor, Tufts University)