A team from Stony Brook University has received a $55,000 grant from the State University of New York’s Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG) program. The funding will support the creation of an online community for faculty to address issues related to artificial intelligence and academic integrity.
The project is led by staff from the Division of Undergraduate Education and the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). The initial phase will make the community available to Stony Brook faculty, with plans to expand access to faculty and staff across all 64 SUNY campuses. The forum aims to allow participants to share ideas, discuss best practices, and receive updates on AI and academic integrity.
“Artificial intelligence has broken out of computer science research labs and begun to have an impact on all facets of life, including of course education,” said Rachelle Germana, senior associate provost for undergraduate education. “Stony Brook is leading the way, at SUNY and nationally, in developing thoughtful, impactful best practices for generative AI in curriculum and pedagogy, while ensuring that our students continue to develop the skills and understanding that will help them become responsible lifelong learners and live fulfilling lives after graduation.”
Jenny Zhang, a CELT senior instructional designer, leads the team. Other members include Yiren Kong (CELT educational research and grant development specialist), Lei Song (CELT instructional designer), Wanda Moore (academic judiciary officer in DUE), Richard Tomczak (director of faculty engagement at DUE), and Deepa Deshpande (associate director of innovation and teaching excellence at SUNY Alfred).
“In almost every corner of every university, including here at Stony Brook, you hear conversations about how to ensure academic integrity and use generative AI responsibly as a tool for teaching, learning, and research,” said Rose Tirotta-Esposito, assistant provost for educational transformation and CELT director. “We’re finding answers to those questions here, and we’re eager to collaborate with colleagues across SUNY and share what we find more broadly.
“The cross-campus collaborations SUNY’s IITG program creates are a critical part of this work, and I look forward to seeing what the team develops.”
The IITG program supports research into how new technologies can improve academic outcomes within SUNY institutions. Since its start in 2012, it has distributed over $5.5 million in grants systemwide.
CELT instructional designers are also involved as co-principal investigators on other IITG-funded projects. Zhang is working with Luis Colón from CELT alongside a team led by SUNY Oneonta focused on using AI for assignment design, assessment redesign, chatbot development, among other applications. Song is collaborating with Empire State College on exploring how generative AI can support inclusive learning environments by enhancing AI literacy and disciplinary skills.
At Stony Brook University alone, more than twelve projects have been funded through IITG grants. Recent recipients include Robert Kukta (senior associate dean for education and innovation in CEAS), Gary Halada (associate professor in Materials Science & Chemical Engineering), Hana Fukuto (clinical associate professor in Clinical Laboratory Sciences), Hants Williams (faculty member in Applied Health Informatics), and Lawrence Hurst (director of the University Hand Center).