COMMUNITY PANEL: UNCW and encore host ‘What is AI?’ panel and discussion

You might have a scowl on your face reading this (including my editor—and this was her damn idea!), or even a Mona Lisa smirk that is neither apathy or interest. You might even think, Why should I care about AI? 

Well, for starters, it's everywhere. 

Now that doesn't mean that Terminators are on the horizon, ready to pop out of portals in the space-time continuum. Sadly, it also means that we are not likely to see a spunky blue and white Astromech droid at any point in our natural lives either. 

But it does mean that things are changing—fast. Some for the better, some not, and a whole lot of gray area in between. There hasn't been a shift in global technology like this since the Dot Com Bubble at the turn of the century, or maybe even the Industrial Revolution. What that means is, the more people know, the more conversations they have, the better off they (we) are. Knowledge is power, you know. 

That said, UNCW Randall Library and encore magazine will host a panel discussion with local AI experts at Discovery Hall 1070 at UNCW on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. for an introductory discussion about artificial intelligence.

As moderator for this event, I want to personally invite you to join us for an event by the community, for the community to define and understand artificial intelligence. Anticipate such topics as: What is reality versus what is Hollywood perception? Where is AI currently being used? And last but not least, where is it headed? 

The event is free to register and available to attend via zoom or in-person with limited seats, first-come first served. 

Also featuring a Q&A session, our panel guests include: 

Karl Ricanek Jr., Ph.D.

Karl is a Professor of Computer Science in the College of Science and Engineering at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he has served since 1999. He is the Director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Identity Sciences (I³S) and was the founding Co-Director of the National Intelligence’s first Center of Academic Excellence in Science and Technology (CASIS). Dr. Ricanek earned his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University, graduating summa cum laude and holding memberships in multiple engineering and academic honor societies. He is a Senior Member of both the National Academy of Inventors and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Ricanek is an internationally recognized leader in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision. His pioneering research in facial analytics, biometrics, and health intelligence from facial imagery has produced multiple patents and over 90 peer-reviewed publications. He has been invited to speak at more than 100 events across nearly 30 countries, and his work has been featured in leading scientific journals and global media outlets.

Dr. Laavanya Rachakonda, Ph.D.

Laavanya is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, serving in this role since August 2021. She earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering under Dr. Saraju P. Mohanty at the University of North Texas, Denton, in 2021, and holds a B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from VMTW, JNTUH, India.

As the Founder and Director of the Smart and Intelligent Physical Systems Laboratory (SIPS) at UNCW, Dr. Rachakonda leads a multi-disciplinary team researching cutting-edge applications of Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, IoT, and IoMT. Her lab’s focus spans Smart Healthcare, Agriculture, Transportation, and Smart Living, aiming to create sustainable, intelligent systems with robust security and privacy integration. SIPS is dedicated to developing low-power, fully automated systems processed at the edge, supporting stress-free and sustainable living.

Dr. Lance Cummings, Ph.D.

Lance explores content and information development in technologically and culturally diverse contexts both in his research and teaching. His most recent work looks at how to leverage structured content with rhetorical strategies to improve the performance of generative AI technologies and shares his explorations in his newsletter, Cyborgs Writing.

Dan Wuensch, Master Engineer

Dan is a Master Staff Engineer on nCino’s Intelligence Platform team, building the foundation for the next generation of banking software powered by artificial intelligence.

He is currently a graduate student at Harvard University studying applications of AI for product development and theoretical computer science.

Throughout his career, he has delivered technology products in a variety of industries, including: smart grid, internet of things (IoT), consumer electronics, higher education, and financial services.

Where to go...

If you haven't been by in a while, you may not know where Discovery Hall is. That's okay–it's brand new! It's also attached to Randall Library. Here is a visual for your convenience: