AI in Academia: Navigating the Future

Episode 21: Joe Dery & Jane Griffin

In this special live episode, recorded in front of a student audience, Joe Dery, Chief Customer Officer at Aera Technology, and Jane Griffin, Associate Provost for Student Success at Bentley University, join us to explore: "How do colleges use analytics and AI to make decisions?" Together, we unpack how universities are leveraging analytics and AI behind the scenes to drive more informed decisions around student success. The conversation highlights the shift from “dashboard palooza” to “AI agent palooza,” and why decision intelligence is emerging as the next evolution of business intelligence. Our guests also emphasize the critical balance between technology and human judgment, underscoring the importance of transparency, strong data governance, and the ethical use of student data.

Episode 20: Dr. Jennifer Brown

Dr. Jennifer Brown is the Dean of Arts and Sciences at Bentley University and a scholar of English, Medieval Studies, and Women's Studies---as well as a novelist! She joins us to discuss how AI is impacting writing and creativity, how to teach writing in the age of AI, and what we can learn about all this by looking back to the biggest disruption in the long history of writing technology: the invention of the printing press.

Episode 19: Dr. David Rivera Jr.

Dr. Dave Rivera Jr., professor of applied management at Flagler College, shares his experiences exploring generative AI with his students in business classes. He discusses ways of getting honest feedback on when AI helps students learn and when it doesn't, how he uses AI to reinforce but not replace creative and critical thinking, and how he keeps up with the fast, evolving pace of AI. You might walk away from this episode feeling a little more optimistic about the future---we did!

Episode 18: Jeff LeBlanc

Jeff LeBlanc, a Lecturer of Management at Bentley University discusses the evolving role of AI in business education and leadership. Jeff shares insights on the human elements of organizational behavior, emphasizing that while AI is a powerful tool for generating ideas, it cannot replace genuine human connection and empathy. The conversation explores Jeff’s engaged empathy leadership model, highlighting the importance of kindness, fairness, and structure in guiding students and future leaders.

Episode 17: Nathan Carter

Nathan Carter, Professor of Mathematical Sciences and Director of the Center for Analytics and Data Science at Bentley University, joins the podcast to share his current research on whether AI can accurately grade mathematical proofs and provide meaningful feedback to students. The conversation explores the challenges of precision, logic, and ethical concerns in AI-assisted grading, and considers broader implications for teaching, learning, and faculty development. Listeners will also gain insights from Bentley’s participation in the AAC&U Institute for AI in Pedagogy and Curriculum, including practical frameworks for evaluating and integrating AI tools in higher education.