CSU AI awards go to 2 at SSU
Proposals by Drs. John Sullins and Janet Berry Hess are two of 63 winners in the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge.
Two Sonoma State University faculty are among the winners of California State University’s Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge, an inaugural event to identify potentially transformative teaching methods, groundbreaking research, and key concerns about adoption of AI within the academic environment.
Proposals by Dr. John Sullins of the Department of Computer Science and Dr. Janet Berry Hess of the Hutchins School of Liberal Studies were among 63 Innovation Challenge winners chosen from more than 400 submissions by 750-plus CSU faculty members systemwide. The Chancellor’s Office will award a total of $3 million to fund the 63 winning proposals.
Sullins’ proposal, “Defense Against the Dark Algorithms: A Modular Framework for AI and Critical Thinking Across Area 1B GE Courses,” will develop a modular instructional framework for General Education Area 1B (Critical Thinking) courses and produce three integrative modules that foreground ethical AI literacy, logic, and bias detection in generative AI. The modules will be adaptable to philosophy, communication studies, English, political science, computer science, and other critical thinking courses.
Hess’ proposal, “Human Rights Advocacy and AI: Creative Approaches to Ethnic Studies and Social Justice,” will develop innovative instructional strategies to ethically and creatively integrate AI into a large ethnic studies/film class, "The Civil Rights Movement." The leadership- and community-focused class addresses civil rights movements among African Americans and Native Americans, extending to Asian American, Latine, and LGBTQ communities, women, individuals with disabilities, and older Americans.
“Sonoma State faculty are constantly innovating, and these winning proposals are one proof point of their commitment to ensuring students are ready for the demands of an evolving workforce,” said Emily Cutrer, SSU interim president. ”These and many other initiatives in progress at the university will prepare students for rapid technological advancements in the job market, including AI, automation, and data science.”
“CSU faculty and staff aren’t just adopting AI—they are reimagining what it means to teach, learn and prepare students for an AI-infused world,” said Nathan Evans, CSU deputy vice chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs and Chief Academic Officer. “Our goal is to prepare students to engage with AI strategically, ethically and successfully in California’s fast-changing workforce.”
The Innovation Challenge was designed with three main goals in mind:
- Encouraging CSU faculty to explore AI literacies and competencies, focusing on how to help students build a fluent relationship with the technologies;
- Addressing the need for meaningful engagement with AI, emphasizing strategies that ensure students actively participate in learning alongside AI; and
- Examining the ethics of AI use in higher education, promoting approaches that embed academic integrity.
Awarded projects span a broad range of academic areas including business, engineering, ethnic studies, history, health sciences, teacher preparation, scholarly writing, journalism and theater arts.
The AI Educational Innovations Challenge is a key component of the CSU’s broader AI Strategy, launched in February 2025 to establish the CSU as the first AI-empowered university system in the nation. As part of this bold vision, the CSU is hosting “AI in July” – a month-long, systemwide celebration of innovation featuring a series of free, online learning events exclusively for CSU students, faculty and staff. The program showcases an engaging lineup of keynote speakers, panel discussions, AI prompt challenges, and campus spotlights, all designed to inform, inspire and connect the CSU community. Learn more at the AI in July website.