Harnessing AI to Advance GW's Strategic Framework
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping higher education, and at GW, it plays a critical role in advancing all three priorities of the university’s Strategic Framework. To ensure AI is harnessed thoughtfully and in alignment with GW’s mission, President Ellen M. Granberg announced a university-wide strategic mapping exercise to identify current AI uses, opportunities, and risks across research, teaching, and operations, led by Senior Advisor to the President on AI Strategy, Dr. Zoe Szajnfarber. This collaborative effort will inform the development of GW’s institutional AI strategy and lay the foundation for principled, impactful adoption of AI across the university.
Timeline
- December 2025:
- AI mapping exercise announced
- Working group co-chairs named
- Data collection survey sent to GW leadership for distribution within units
- January 2026:
- GW community members invited to join working groups
- February 2026:
- Opportunities for broader community input through surveys and focus groups
- March 2026:
- Working groups analyze input and summarize their initial findings
- April/May 2026:
- Preliminary reports are shared with stakeholders for feedback and refinement before delivering recommendations
Ways to Get Involved
The working groups want to hear from you! Please provide input through your preferred channel by March 1:
Hold a Focus Group
Members of the community are invited to hold self-organized small-group discussions, using a provided facilitation guide and questions. If you would prefer to connect with colleagues across campus, there is also an opportunity to register for cross-functional meet-ups.
Resources:
If you’d like to join a cross-functional meet-up:
Fill out Surveys
Individual faculty, staff and students may complete surveys designed to inventory current practices and gather perspectives on opportunities and risks. Separate surveys are available for research, education and operations. Recognizing that you may have multiple roles (student + staff, researcher + instructor), we encourage you to respond to any surveys that apply to you.
Survey Links:
- Research
The research survey collects information about what research you are working on, related to or leveraging AI. It also covers the business of doing research, aiming to understand what infrastructure (physical, software, human, policy and otherwise) is needed to support it.
- Education
The education survey inventories programs, courses and trainings related to AI. It also asks for your perspective on AI use in the classroom. We have created separate surveys for faculty/staff and students.
- Operations
The operations survey covers the tools and models used to support your work. It aims to understand all the ways we are already leveraging AI in our work, the associated opportunities and risks, and what is needed to move forward.
Attend Office Hours
The co-chairs of the AI@GW working groups will hold virtual office hours. These are open, informal sessions where you can share your perspective and discuss any issues with the co-chairs.
Upcoming Zoom sessions:
- Education 1:
- Tuesday, February 3, 2:00–3:00 p.m. ET
- Add to calendar
- Research 1:
- Friday, Feb 6th, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. ET
- Add to calendar
- Operations 1:
- Tuesday, Feb 10th, 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. ET
- Add to calendar
- Research 2:
- Wednesday, Feb 11th, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. ET
- Add to calendar
- Operations 2:
- Thursday, Feb 12th, 11:00 am – 12:00 p.m. ET
- Add to calendar
- Education 2:
- Thursday, Feb 19th, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET
- Add to calendar
Working Groups
Zoe Szajnfarber
Professor and Senior Advisor to the President on AI Strategy
- Research Working Group
Co-Chairs:
- David Broniatowski, Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering at GW Engineering
- Ted McKoy, Assistant Director for Award Set-up and Subaward Management in the Office of Sponsored Projects
Goals:
- Understand AI as an enabler (and complicator) of the research enterprise, in terms of both research itself and research administration
- Identify what support researchers and staff administrators need to engage productively and responsibly with these technologies
- Education Working Group
Co-Chairs:
- Ryan Watkins, Professor of Educational Technology Leadership in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development
- Karen Singer-Freeman, Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning Excellence in the Center for Teaching Excellence
Goals:
- Understand what GW students need to know about AI and what skills they need to thrive in a post-graduation world where AI will be commonplace
- Understand how the presence of AI in the classroom should change teaching and learning
- Determine what supports are necessary for the people at the center of that evolution, including tools, training and beyond
- Operation Working Group
Co-Chairs:
- Patrick Hall, Teaching Assistant Professor of Decision Sciences and Chief AI Officer in the School of Business
- Sue Bogan, GW IT Digital Transformation Specialist
Goals:
- Characterize the opportunities and risks of using AI as part of workflows and the complexities of moving in that direction, including cost and energy use
- Determine necessary support for staff
