About

Advancing Innovation at the Intersection of Artificial Intelligence & Every Discipline
The AI+X Symposium underscores the 深夜看片鈥檚 position as a leader in interdisciplinary AI research and innovation. By convening experts across domains, the symposium advances rigorous scholarship, responsible deployment and transformative collaboration at the forefront of artificial intelligence.
We invite you to join us for a day of scholarly exchange and strategic dialogue as we shape the next era of AI research and impact.
Date & Time
Friday, April 17, 2026
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Event Location
USF Research Park
3814 Spectrum Level 1
Please register to attend by April 10, 2026
*Registration Fee: A $25 registration fee is required to attend. Lunch will be provided for all registered attendees.
Parking
Complimentary parking is available directly in front of the Research Park Innovation Building. Please check in upon arrival to receive your parking pass.
About the Symposium
The AI+X Symposium is a premier interdisciplinary event hosted by the USF Institute of Artificial Intelligence +X. This annual gathering convenes leading researchers, industry innovators, policymakers and practitioners to explore transformative advances in artificial intelligence across disciplines.
Artificial intelligence is no longer confined to a single field. From medicine and health to cybersecurity, business, engineering, education and the sciences, AI is reshaping how we solve complex problems and drive innovation. The AI+X Symposium creates a collaborative forum where diverse expertise intersects, fostering meaningful dialogue and actionable insights.
Keynote Speakers

Walter Schierer, PhD
Dennis O. Doughty Collegiate Professor of Engineering
University of Notre Dame
Rethinking the Ethical Conversation Around AI-Generated Media
The possibility of an altered photo revising history in a convincing way highlights a salient threat of imaging technology. After all, seeing is believing. Or is it? The examples history has preserved make it clear that the observer is more often than not meant to understand that something has changed. Surprisingly, the objectives of photographic manipulation have remained largely the same since the camera first appeared in the 19th century. The old battleworn techniques have simply evolved to keep pace with technological developments. In this talk, we will learn about the history of photographic manipulation, from the invention of the camera to the advent of generative AI. Importantly, we will consider the reception of photo editing and its relationship to the notion of reality, which is more significant than the technologies themselves. Surprisingly, we will discover that creative myth making has found a new medium to embed itself in. This talk is based on Walter Scheirer's recent book A History of Fake Things on the Internet (Stanford University Press 2023).
Read his Bio
Walter J. Scheirer is the Dennis O. Doughty Collegiate Professor of Engineering in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame. His research interests within the field of computer science include artificial intelligence, computer vision, machine learning, and digital humanities. He is a global AI leader, serving as the TC Chair Emeritus of the IEEE Computer Society Technical Community on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence, Elected Member of the Board of Governors of the IEEE Computer Society, and Board Member of the Computer Vision Foundation. Prof. Scheirer is also a cultural critic and historian, commenting on the social context of emerging technologies from the realistic perspective of a technologist.

Michelle Thompson, PhD
Digital Rx: AI Innovations in Lifestyle Medicine
鈥淒igital Rx: AI Innovations in Lifestyle Medicine鈥 explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the prevention, management, and reversal of chronic disease through personalized, data-driven lifestyle interventions. Dr. Thompson highlights the convergence of AI, behavioral science, and clinical care鈥攑ositioning technology not as a replacement for clinicians, but as a powerful co-pilot in delivering precision lifestyle medicine at scale.
Beyond patient outcomes, this keynote also addresses a critical and often overlooked dimension of healthcare innovation: physician wellbeing. As administrative burden, documentation demands, and burnout rates rise, AI offers an opportunity to restore meaning and sustainability to clinical practice. From intelligent documentation support and predictive panel management to workflow automation and personalized decision support, AI can reduce cognitive overload and free physicians to focus on connection, purpose, and high-value care.
Artificial intelligence is not just optimizing healthcare delivery - it is redefining lifestyle medicine as scalable, predictive and precision-driven. At the same time, it is reshaping the clinician experience by alleviating burnout and supporting professional fulfillment. 鈥淒igital Rx鈥 presents a compelling roadmap for leveraging AI to transform prevention into a proactive, personalized and continuously improving system of care - for both patients and the physicians who serve them.
Read her Bio
Dr. Michelle Thompson is a triple-board certified physician in Integrative, Lifestyle and Osteopathic Family Medicine. A fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, she is also certified in Mind-Body Medicine and psychedelic therapies. Dr. Thompson has been featured in The New York Times for her work in physician wellness and AI in healthcare. She facilitates 25 unique Group Medical Visit types to promote whole-person healing. As Medical Director of Lifestyle Medicine at UPMC, she champions self-care as a foundation for patient and employee health reducing burnout and improving emotional intelligence. She is Vice President of Medical Staff at UPMC Horizon & Jameson and an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. She also created Doctors in the Kitchen, a culinary medicine program. Dr. Thompson is reshaping medical education by leading trauma informed lifestyle medicine training in multiple residency programs and is a national advocate for transforming healthcare delivery.
What to Expect
Attendees will experience a full day of:
- Expert-led presentations
- Interdisciplinary panel discussions
- Emerging research showcases
- Industry and academic collaboration opportunities
- Networking with faculty, students, and professionals
This symposium is designed to spark new partnerships, highlight cutting-edge research and explore responsible, forward-thinking AI innovation.

Key Focus Areas
- AI & Cybersecurity
- AI in Healthcare
- AI & Education
- AI & Science
- AI & Business
- AI & Ethics & Policy
- AI for Social Good
- Foundational Advances in AI
Why Attend?
The AI+X Symposium is more than a conference - it is a catalyst for collaboration. By bringing together experts from across disciplines, this event strengthens partnerships, accelerates discovery and positions USF as a leader in interdisciplinary AI innovation.
Join us as we shape the future of Artificial Intelligence 鈥 Together!
Program Chairs
- Larry Hall (Bellini College)
- Sudeep Sarkar (Bellini College)
- Xinming Ou (Bellini College)
- Yael Bensoussanb (Morsani College of Medicine)
Review and Publication
- Ankur Mali (Bellini College)
- Shaun Canavan (Bellini College)
Program Committee
College of Arts and Sciences
- Chad Dube, Psychology
Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing
- Karni Chagal-Feferkorn
- Gene Kim
- Seungbae Kim
- Mauricio Pamplona Segundo
- John Templeton
- Oguzhan Topsakal
- Alfredo Weitzenfeld
College of Education
- Michael Berson, Teaching and Learning
College of Engineering
- Autar Kaw, Mechanical Engineering
- Arman Sargolzaei, Mechanical Engineering
- Yasin Yilmaz, Electrical Engineering
College of Marine Science
- Chuanmin Hu, Physical Oceanography
Moffit Cancer Center
- Issam El Naqa
Muma College of Business
- Triparne de Vreede, Information Systems
Tampa General Hospital USF Morsani College of Medicine
- Nishit Patel
- Karim Hanna