{"id":222134,"date":"2025-09-16T18:11:54","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T04:11:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=222134"},"modified":"2025-09-17T07:56:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T17:56:30","slug":"ai-data-science-lecture-series","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/09\/16\/ai-data-science-lecture-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Free AI<\/abbr>, data science lecture series launched at UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Associate Chair Mahdi Belcaid introducing Eliane Ubalijoro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at Mānoa launched a free artificial intelligence (AI<\/abbr>) and data science public lecture series on September 15, with a talk by Eliane Ubalijoro, chief executive officer of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry. Ubalijoro, based in Nairobi, Kenya, spoke on AI<\/abbr> governance policies and ethics for managing land, biodiversity and fire.<\/p>\n

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Eliane Ubalijoro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The event, hosted at the Walter Dods, Jr<\/abbr>. RISE<\/abbr> Center, was organized by the Department of Information and Computer Sciences<\/a> (ICS<\/abbr>) in partnership with the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship<\/a> (PACE<\/abbr>). It kicked off a four-part series designed to share industry and government perspectives on emerging issues in AI<\/abbr> and data science.<\/p>\n

“Dr<\/abbr>. Ubalijoro’s presentation provided exciting insights on the application of AI<\/abbr> as tools in agriculture and agroforestry happening today,” said Loreto Coloma, student in the UH<\/abbr> graduate certificate in applied computing and associate director of admissions in the William S. Richardson School of Law. “When these tools draw upon traditional and indigenous knowledge, it guides our decision-making in ways that better align with the values of the people they affect while supporting longer-term goals. And we are also reminded that ethical data practices and community trust are paramount in being able to effectively receive and use this expert knowledge.”<\/p>\n

All lectures are open to students, professionals and community members, providing another avenue for the public to engage with UH<\/abbr> Mānoa\u2019s new graduate certificate and professional master\u2019s program in AI<\/abbr> and data science<\/a>. The series is tied to ICS<\/abbr> 601, the Applied Computing Industry Seminar, which connects students to real-world applications of AI<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n

“This series opens the door for our students and community to learn directly from leaders shaping the future of AI<\/abbr> and data science,” said Department of Information and Computer Sciences Chair and Professor Guylaine Poisson.<\/p>\n

PACE<\/abbr> Executive Director Sandra Fujiyama added, “By bringing these talks into the public sphere, we\u2019re strengthening the bridge between UH<\/abbr> Mānoa, industry sectors and Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s innovation community.”<\/p>\n

Three additional talks are scheduled this fall:<\/p>\n