FAMU Accelerates AI Strategy During President’s Panel at Campus Innovation Forum

“Thank you for taking the time today to help me figure out the best way to support you as we work to ensure our focus on AI is not delayed,” Johnson said. “As we implement AI not only in our program but throughout our organization, we want to bring together the wisdom of FAMU and knowledge from outside the university.”

She encouraged attendees to recruit other colleagues as the University grows its knowledge and commitment to AI.

Campus engagement and hands-on learning

The forum featured FAMU alumna Renata Rawlings-Goss, executive director of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEaS) at Georgia Tech. Johnson recently visited the institute during a student recruitment trip to Atlanta, reinforcing FAMU’s commitment to leveraging national innovation networks.

“You want to be able to serve more students. AI can help with that,” Rawlings-Goss explained, highlighting how technology can expand access and efficiency.

On campus, AI is already becoming a lived experience for students. Engineering students recently built an AI-powered robotic arm, giving them direct exposure to project-based learning and real-world application.

“The technology we work with at Adderley Music Institute gives students real-world, hands-on experience with tools that are shaping the future of the music industry,” said Darryl Tookes, director of Adderley Music Institute. “Our students learn to create, analyze and innovate using the same technology that professionals rely on at major studios.”

Partnerships that advance research and opportunities

During its engagement with FAMU, Sandia brought in employees from multiple departments to ensure diverse expertise, from nanotechnology and materials science to infrastructure resilience and AI-based engineering. Joint projects are already underway, including research into nanoscale materials and rapid pathogen detection platforms, linking university education to innovation at the federal level.

These collaborations expand career pathways for first-generation, underrepresented, STEM-focused students, furthering FAMU’s mission to increase opportunity through education and research.

FAMU’s Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council is also working to identify ways to integrate AI into academic programs, campus operations and student services, with an emphasis on ethical and responsible use.