RUM hosts academic meeting on artificial intelligence

By THE STAR STAFF

The Mayagüez Campus of the University of Puerto Rico (RUM by its acronym in Spanish) hosted the second edition of the UPR-Notre Dame Winter School for Artificial Intelligence, an academic gathering that brought together professors and students from several university campuses to foster collaboration in the field of artificial intelligence (AI).

“This second edition, organized between the two universities, aims to attract individuals interested in learning and developing technical skills in artificial intelligence to apply them to research projects,” said Ubaldo Córdova Figueroa, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at RUM, in a written statement. “These connections are important for fostering collaboration and interdisciplinary work.”

The meeting included participation from the Río Piedras, Bayamón and Carolina campuses of the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), as well as the University of Notre Dame, with an educational agenda focused on how AI is transforming scientific and engineering research.

Brett Savoie, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Notre Dame, highlighted the academic exchange between the two institutions and the value of the responsible use of AI technology.

“These have been three days of intense learning in which we have recognized the research being conducted at the University of Puerto Rico and exchanged recent advances in artificial intelligence,” Savoie said.

UPR President Zayira Jordán Conde noted that AI represents a strategic tool for research and the island’s economic development, emphasizing the importance of preparing students and faculty for a knowledge- and technology-based economy.

RUM Chancellor Agustín Rullán Toro said the institution promotes the development of cutting-edge applications and knowledge through collaboration between faculty and students, and stressed the pride taken in hosting scientists and experts on the subject.

During the event, workshops, lectures and a Hackathon were held, in which student teams developed AI-based solutions to address scientific and engineering challenges.