USD Hosts Week of AI-Focused Events, Highlighting Commitment to Research and Innovation
Spanning two cities and three distinct events, the week underscores USD’s commitment to cutting-edge research, collaboration and real-world application of AI in science, health, industry and education.
“USD is uniquely positioned to lead South Dakota – and the broader region – into an AI-powered future,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “Our renowned faculty are shaping the future of AI and preparing the next workforce who will use this technology to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges. We are looking forward to welcoming expert speakers and guests to these events for engaging conversations designed to move these fields forward.”
AI is woven into a number of USD’s academic programs, spanning medicine, business, education, the humanities and more. The university champions an “AI for good” approach and prepares students to develop and use AI responsibly, creatively and effectively across disciplines. By integrating technology with ethics, communications and public policy, graduates are prepared to find solutions through human-centered AI and lead in an increasingly AI-driven world.
Workshop for AI-Powered Materials Discovery in the Great Plains
The university’s week of events begins with the Workshop for AI-Powered Materials Discovery in the Great Plains, held June 23-25 at USD’s Vermillion campus.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the workshop will bring together more than 230 researchers and educators from nine EPSCoR jurisdictions, representing a variety of disciplines, including physics, chemistry, materials science, computer science, biomedical engineering and more.
The goal of the workshop is to address the critical infrastructure gaps in AI-driven materials research, particularly in underrepresented regions like the Great Plains, and to build the research capacity necessary to transform the pace and reach of materials discovery. By convening national experts, emerging scholars and regional institutions, the workshop fosters new collaborations, strategic planning and collective momentum to advance cutting-edge research through AI tools and frameworks.
The workshop also includes educational sessions – offered in collaboration with the NSF-funded E-CORE project led by Black Hills State University – designed specifically for middle and high school teachers. Educators will leave with AI-focused resources to inspire the next generation of scientists in classrooms throughout the region.
“This is more than just a research conference,” said Dongming Mei, Ph.D., USD Department of Physics professor and workshop organizer. “It’s a platform to build community, exchange ideas and accelerate progress in AI-powered discovery – while ensuring our educators and students are part of the journey from the ground up. With its interdisciplinary reach, national participation and regional focus, the AI-Powered Materials Discovery at the Great Plains workshop is a shining example of how targeted investment in science and education can generate nationwide impact – transforming challenges into opportunities and planting the seeds of discovery in every corner of the country.”
AI Symposium and South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium
The focus shifts to USD – Sioux Falls for the seventh annual Artificial Intelligence Symposium on June 26, held in conjunction with the inaugural South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium on June 27.
These events bring together leading experts from academia, industry and government to explore timely topics at the intersection of technology and science, including artificial intelligence, data engineering, cybersecurity, sustainable agriculture, health care and more.
“Through initiatives like the AI Symposium, we showcase AI’s transformative impact on science, industry and society,” said KC Santosh, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Computer Science and founding chair of the AI Symposium. “Data are everywhere – the key is how we structure, organize, and analyze them. Without AI tools, meaningful analytics simply isn’t possible.”
The symposium serves as a platform to celebrate innovation, spotlight cutting-edge research and strengthen collaboration across academia, government and industry – advancing AI and workforce development across the state of South Dakota.
The South Dakota Biomedical Consortium will focus on biological, biomedical and clinical applications of computational approaches, including computational biology, systems biology, bioinformatics, AI, machine learning, simulation, modeling and more.
“The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium is the first step and a milestone for a biomedical computation collaboration across South Dakota,” said William CW Chen, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical & Translational Sciences and chair of the consortium.
The consortium will provide an immersive experience of computational and AI applications in biomedicine for undergraduate, graduate and medical students as well as academic trainees.
Attendees can also participate online via Zoom.
About the South Dakota Biomedical Computation Collaborative
The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Collaborative is a joint initiative between the University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, and South Dakota Mines that is transforming medical education and biomedical sciences through the integration of computation and AI tools. With grant funding from the U.S. Department of Education and additional support from the South Dakota Board of Regents, this initiative strengthens health care in South Dakota by enhancing clinical practice, research and education. The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium was founded in 2024 with support from this initiative.
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