AI in Education Summit

Empowering Educators for an AI-Powered Future — join educators, researchers, and AI experts at USF for two days of inspiring sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking.

  • Keynote sessions from leading AI education researchers
  • Hands-on workshops with practical classroom AI tools
  • Networking with educators from across the region
  • Certificate of attendance for professional development hours
June 9–10 2026
Tampa, FL USF Campus
Registration $49
Register Now Learn More

About the Summit

The AI in Education Summit brings together educators, administrators, researchers, and technology leaders to explore practical applications of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. As AI tools rapidly reshape classrooms, the summit creates a space for educators to examine emerging technologies, share experiences, and develop strategies for using AI responsibly and effectively.

Summit Overview

Through expert-led sessions, collaborative discussions, and hands-on learning opportunities, participants will explore how AI can support instruction, expand student creativity, and strengthen digital and AI literacy.

The summit focuses on thoughtful, ethical, and equitable approaches to AI so educators leave with ideas they can confidently bring back to their schools.

Whether you are new to AI or already integrating it into your practice, the summit offers something for every educator ready to engage with the future of teaching and learning.

Innovative Sessions

Hear from leading educators and researchers exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping teaching and learning. Sessions highlight emerging research, real classroom applications, and new ways AI can support creativity, inquiry, and deeper student engagement.

Hands-On Workshops

Connect with educators, school leaders, researchers, and technology innovators from across the region. The summit creates opportunities to exchange ideas, build partnerships, and collaborate on responsible approaches to AI innovation in education.

Networking

Connect with educators, school leaders, researchers, and technology innovators from across the region. The summit creates opportunities to share ideas, exchange experiences, and build partnerships that support responsible AI innovation in education.

Keynote Speakers

Meet our distinguished speakers who are leading the way in AI education research and practice.

John Licato, Ph.D.
John Licato, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence

John Licato is an associate professor in the Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing at USF, founder and director of the Advancing Machine and Human Reasoning (AMHR) Lab, and owner of the startup Actualization.AI. He earned a PhD in Computer Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2015, specializing in the computational modeling of analogical reasoning.

His research expertise spans AI, NLP, human reasoning, cognitive modeling, and legal and regulatory reasoning, with over 100 peer-reviewed publications. He has been featured in NPR's Marketplace Tech, ABC Action News, Spectrum News, and the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

LinkedIn USF Profile
Zafer Unal, Ph.D.
Zafer Unal, Ph.D.

Professor & Associate Dean

USF College of Education

Professor of Education and Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies at the University of South Florida's College of Education. Oversees undergraduate academic programs and leads strategic initiatives focused on student success, curriculum transformation, and career readiness.

His technical work spans machine learning, local AI installation and deployment, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic AI systems, and full-stack development using C++, Python, PHP, and PostgreSQL. He builds and deploys AI platforms that operate at the intersection of education research and applied technology.

LinkedIn Website
Karni Chagal-Feferkorn, Ph.D.
Karni Chagal-Feferkorn, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Instruction

USF Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence

Karni Chagal-Feferkorn is a legal scholar and attorney whose work explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, law, and public policy. She joined the USF Bellini College of AI, Cybersecurity and Computing, bringing a global academic and consulting portfolio focused on building AI systems that are technically sound, ethically grounded, and policy-informed.

Her research centers on algorithmic liability, data governance, AI risks, and responsible AI. She has taught Responsible AI, Law, and Ethics at Cornell Tech, Boston University, and Bocconi University, and delivered workshops at the U.S. Congress and the German Foreign Office. She co-founded Lexidale, a global policy consultancy, and Praxif.ai, which delivers responsible AI training to government and industry partners.

USF Profile

Summit Agenda

Two days of learning, hands-on workshops, and innovation.

Day 1 — Tuesday, June 9

8:00 – 8:30 AM
Registration & Coffee

Honors College Lobby

8:30 – 8:45 AM
Welcome Remarks

USF President
Dean Jenifer Jasinski Schneider
Dean Sudeep Sarkar

8:45 – 9:35 AM
Keynote

Dr. John Licato

9:35 – 9:45 AM
Break & Transition
9:45 – 10:45 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Room 9:45 – 10:15 AM 10:15 – 10:45 AM
Room 1
Learning to Read AI: Gender, Representation, and Critical Visual Literacy
Ms. Taciana Melo
Ethics
Teaching in Transition: Exploring Teachers' Emotional and Ethical Responses to Generative AI through Arts-Based Research
Ms. Marisa Gourley
Instruction
Room 2
Learning with AI in Early Childhood: Child-Parent Co-Learning Experiences
Ms. Nermin Ciloglu Cakmakci
Instruction
Brains vs. Bots: Preserving Student Thinking in the Age of AI
Ms. Deepshikha Banerjee
Instruction
Room 3
Building AI Literacy Through Field Science: A Framework for K-12 Learning
Ms. Maria Bailey
Instruction
Room 4
From Whistles to Workflows: AI-Powered Classroom Management for Inclusive PE
Ms. Sara J. Ferrari
Instruction
Reimagining Student Engagement and Belonging in AI-Enhanced K-12 Classrooms
Ms. Boudour Abdalhak
Instruction
Room 5
Teacher-Guided Chatbots for Check for Understanding and Instructional Adjustment in K-12 Classrooms
Ms. Donna Kemp
Instruction
Room 6
AI and the Resulting New Human Occupation and Educational Needs
Dr. Jeremy Straub
Instruction
From Prompt to Prototype: Using AI to Power the Student Innovation Cycle
Ms. Madeline Stoddard
Instruction
10:45 – 11:00 AM
Break & Transition
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Room 11:00 – 11:30 AM 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Room 1
AI Yin & Yang: Equipping Educators to Navigate the Transformative Potential and Serious Risks of AI in K-12
Ms. Ora Tanner
Ethics
Room 2
How AI "Thinks": From Patterns to Intelligence
Mr. Richard Rho
Instruction
Room 3
CLICK-IT: An Instructional AI-Intelligence Support System for Educators
Dr. Jose Castillo
Instruction
Room 4
MathSynapse: An AI-Powered Platform for Adaptive Math Instruction and Targeted Teaching Support
Ms. Zhaowei Zhang
Instruction
Guiding AI Scaffolding with Learning Analytics in K-12 Mathematics
Mr. Haotian Lyu
Instruction
Room 5
Artificial Intelligence in Project Management
Mr. Paul Capello
Collaboration
Room 6
LEAH Platform Demo
EduCreate AI Lab
Special Activity
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Room 1:00 – 1:30 PM 1:30 – 2:00 PM
Room 1
Lessons to Remember Before AI Risks Unfold
Ms. Laura Smith
Ethics
Room 2
Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies: Integrating AI into Interdisciplinary Classroom Practice
Ms. Stevie Hodgkins
Instruction
Room 3
Your AI Toolkit: Practical Strategies for Productivity and Creation
Mr. David Davis
Productivity
Room 4
Beyond the ChatBots: Leveraging AI for Innovative Learning Activities and Curricular Improvement
Dr. Sara Smith
Instruction
Room 5
Bridging Conversational AI and Immersive VR: A Dialogue-Driven Virtual Environment to Support Metacognitive Learning of Sorting Algorithms
Mr. Karthikeya Moturi
Instruction
The Multiple Roles of AI in Designing and Implementing a Mixed Reality Experience Studying Sea Level Rise in Charleston, SC
Dr. Mark Newton
Instruction
Room 6
Microsoft Session
Microsoft
Special Activity
Room 7
Innovative Ed Tour
Guided Tour
Special Activity
2:00 – 2:15 PM
Break & Transition
2:15 – 3:15 PM
Keynote

Dr. Karni Chagal-Feferkorn, Ph.D., Esq.

3:15 – 3:30 PM
Closing Remarks

Day 2 — Wednesday, June 10

8:00 – 8:30 AM
Registration & Coffee

Honors College Lobby

8:30 – 8:45 AM
Welcome Remarks

USF President
Dean Jenifer Jasinski Schneider
Dean Sudeep Sarkar

8:45 – 9:35 AM
Keynote

Dr. Zafer Unal

9:35 – 9:45 AM
Break & Transition
9:45 – 10:45 AM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Room 9:45 – 10:15 AM 10:15 – 10:45 AM
Room 1
Challenging the Hype: Rethinking AI Through Human-Centered Design and Digital Mindfulness
Dr. Csaba Osvath
Ethics
Room 2
The AI Tightrope: Supporting Thinking Without Stealing It
Ms. Kerri Aman
Instruction
Room 3
AI + Content Area Literacy in Action: Designing Engaging, Differentiated Learning Experiences in Math and Science Classrooms
Dr. Christine Picot
Instruction
Room 4
Credentialed and Classroom-Ready: AI Integration Through the USF College of Education AI in Teaching & Learning Graduate Certificate
Dr. Stephanie Arthur
Productivity
Room 5
Rethinking Collaboration: Using AI to Match People, Projects, and Opportunities Across Work and Education
Dr. Noemi Nagy
Collaboration
Room 6
AI-Proofing Your Classroom
Mr. Ben Whitelaw
Instruction
Using AI to Provide Step-by-Step Learning Support for Data Literacy and Visualization in K-12 Contexts
Mr. Haotian Lyu
Instruction
10:45 – 11:00 AM
Break & Transition
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Keynote

Microsoft

12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 – 2:00 PM
Concurrent Breakout Sessions
Room 1:00 – 1:30 PM 1:30 – 2:00 PM
Room 1
Demystifying Design Magic: Using AI to Automate Video Evaluation and Solve "Death by PowerPoint" through Multimedia Learning
Dr. Koichi Sato
Productivity
Promoting Human Flourishing Through AI
Dr. Arianna Banack
Instruction
Room 2
Opening the Black Box: Interactive Classroom Activities to Explore How AI Works
Dr. Dayane Reis
Instruction
Room 3
Human-Machine Relationships: Teaching AI Ethics Through Video Games and Immersive Storytelling
Dr. Csaba Osvath
Instruction
Room 4
The Tampa Bay Chemical Audit: The Ethical Use of AI in a Science Classroom
Mr. Alexandre Ferreira da Silva
Instruction
Room 5
Building Classroom-Aligned AI Support for Teaching and Learning: The AI Course Companion Model
Dr. Oguzhan Topsakal
Instruction
EduConnect AI: An RAG-Based Multi-Model Approach to Context-Aware Grading and Educational Scaffolding
Mr. Karthikeya Moturi
Instruction
Room 6
LEAH Platform Demo
EduCreate AI Lab
Special Activity
Room 7
Innovative Ed Tour
Guided Tour
Special Activity
2:00 – 2:15 PM
Break & Transition
2:15 – 3:15 PM
Panel Discussion

Bellini College of AI & College of Education — details to be announced

3:15 – 3:30 PM
Closing Remarks

Agenda Note

Agenda is subject to change. Final schedule will be provided to all registered attendees.

Secure Your Spot

Choose your registration option and join us for two days of transformative learning.

Summit Registration
$49
Per person — June 9–10, 2026
  • Access to all sessions
  • Coffee & hot tea available all day
  • Lunch provided both days
  • Summit materials & resources
  • Certificate of attendance
  • Networking opportunities
Register Now

Venue & Location

Find your way to USF's College of Education in Tampa, Florida.

Judy Genshaft Honors College

Address
12260 USF Genshaft Dr, Tampa, FL 33620
Parking
Free parking available in designated lots for summit attendees.
Get Directions

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

The AI in Education Summit is a two-day professional development event hosted by the University of South Florida College of Education. It brings together educators, administrators, and AI experts to explore practical applications of artificial intelligence in teaching and learning environments.

The summit will be held on June 9–10, 2026 at the Judy Genshaft Honors College, located at 12260 USF Genshaft Dr, Tampa, FL 33620. The event runs from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM both days.

The summit is ideal for K-12 classroom teachers, school administrators and principals, instructional coaches and specialists, educational technology coordinators, curriculum developers, and anyone interested in integrating AI into educational settings.
Registration & Pricing

Registration: $49 per person
Presenter Registration: FREE for confirmed presenters

Your registration includes access to all keynote sessions and breakout workshops, continental breakfast on both days, lunch on both days, summit materials and resources, certificate of attendance (professional development hours), networking opportunities, and access to presentation slides and recordings post-event.

No prior experience with AI is required! The summit is designed for educators at all levels of AI familiarity. Sessions are clearly labeled by experience level, and there will be introductory sessions specifically designed for those new to AI in education.

Contact Us

Have questions about the summit? Our team is here to help.

Rachel Hatten, Ph.D.
Rachel Hatten, Ph.D.

Co-Director

University of South Florida
David C. Anchin Center

Leah Burger
Leah Burger

Doctoral Candidate & Research Assistant

University of South Florida
College of Education