The Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) at North Carolina Central University’s (NCCU) is advancing national efforts to shape the future of artificial intelligence education and workforce development.
Siobahn Grady, Ph.D., founding director of IAIER, is helping lead a Howard University–based national research collaboration to explore how artificial intelligence will influence future jobs and prepare students for success in an AI-driven economy.
She serves as a Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) on the National Science Foundation-funded project “Research Coordination Network on Assessing and Predicting Job Outcomes in AI.” The initiative, led by Howard University’s Talitha Washington, Ph.D., unites scholars from multiple institutions to examine how artificial intelligence is transforming work and higher education. Through NCCU’s IAIER, Grady is helping guide the research agenda and connect findings to real-world learning opportunities.
Supported by a $1 million Google grant, Grady launched IAIER to expand access to AI education and research at NCCU. NCCU is the first historically Black college and university (HBCU) with a dedicated AI institute.
“At North Carolina Central University, and through IAIER, we are committed to preparing students and faculty to thrive in this evolving landscape and to ensuring we have a strong voice in national conversations on the future of jobs and curriculum,” she said.
The NSF project includes Enrico Pontelli, Ph.D., of New Mexico State University, and George Brown, Ph.D., of Houston Community College.
This collaboration creates opportunities for NCCU faculty, staff, and students, from research and interdisciplinary teaching to internships and national exposure in AI. Grady’s leadership continues to elevate NCCU’s presence in national innovation conversations and reinforce the university’s commitment to preparing future leaders in artificial intelligence.