An Aspiration and Appetite to Innovate

Unlocking Ancient Secrets with AI

In the final episode of season 2 of the Confluence podcast, Brent Seales of University of Kentucky joins the show to talk about his groundbreaking work using AI and CT scanning to digitally unwrap ancient Herculaneum scrolls buried by Mount Vesuvius, making previously unreadable texts accessible. The conversation includes insights on collaboration with Nat Friedman, the Vesuvius Challenge, and the intersection of technology and humanities scholarship, along with Seales' new role directing an AI and Humanities Institute funded by Eric Schmidt's foundation. Episode Links: * Brent Seales on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-seales-7663334/] * University of Kentucky website [https://www.uky.edu/] * Confluence S2E8 - Audacity, Antiquity, and AI [https://youtu.be/-kX9bYgtyXw] with Brent’s colleague Christy Chapman * The Vesuvius Challenge website [https://scrollprize.org/] * Pics of the scrolls and the fragments [https://scrollprize.org/data] * 60 Minutes Episode [https://youtu.be/_BDq6tAuOu8?si=oyzb3LyJoM51KzSn] * PBS Documentary [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9z0SzSRAHTI] * NBC News Story [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAa5zGM_rzg] * University of Kentucky [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_L1oN8y7Bs] Watch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/1MY_hxEyFHM] or Spotify [https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/confluence-podcast/episodes/Unlocking-Ancient-Secrets-with-AI-e31evc2]. About Brent Seales: Dr. W. Brent Seales is the Stanley and Karen Pigman Chair of Heritage Science and Professor of Computer Science at the University of Kentucky. He earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and has held research positions at INRIA Sophia-Antipolis, UNC Chapel Hill, Google (Paris), and the Getty Conservation Institute. The Heritage Science research lab (EduceLab) founded by Seales at the University of Kentucky applies techniques in machine learning and data science to the digital restoration of damaged materials. The research program is funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Arts and Humanities Research Council of Great Britain, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Google. Seales is a co-founder of the Vesuvius Challenge, an international contest formed around the goal of the virtual unwrapping of Herculaneum scrolls. He continues to work with challenging, damaged material (Herculaneum Scrolls, Dead Sea Scrolls), with notable successes in the scroll from En-Gedi (Leviticus), the Morgan MS M.910 (The Acts of the Apostles), and PHerc.Paris.3 and 4 (Philodemus / Epicureanism). The recovery of readable text from still-unopened material has been hailed worldwide as an astonishing achievement fueled by open scholarship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and extraordinary leadership generosity. ----- The Confluence podcast is a collaboration between TRXL and AVAIL, and is produced by TRXL Media. * Learn more about them at https://trxl.co/media [https://trxl.co/media] and https://getavail.com [https://getavail.com/] * Learn more about the Confluence podcast at https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast [https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast] * Learn about the Confluence events at https://confluence.getavail.com [https://confluence.getavail.com/]

Navigating The Evolution of AEC Tech

Richard Harpham of Skema joins the podcast to talk about his insights from decades of experience in AEC technology. From witnessing the early days of BIM adoption to leading new software development initiatives, Harpham discusses the industry's evolution and current transformation. He explores how emerging technologies are reshaping architectural workflows, the challenges of market education, and his optimistic vision for the future of AEC software. This engaging conversation offers valuable perspective on where the industry has been and where it's heading. Episode Links: * Richard on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardharpham/] * Skema website [https://www.skema.ai/] * Skema on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/skema-ai] Watch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/XwuhkwZrdk4]. ----- The Confluence podcast is a collaboration between TRXL and AVAIL, and is produced by TRXL Media. * Learn more about them at https://trxl.co/media [https://trxl.co/media] and https://getavail.com [https://getavail.com/] * Learn more about the Confluence podcast at https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast [https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast] * Learn about the Confluence events at https://confluence.getavail.com [https://confluence.getavail.com/]

An Aspiration and Appetite to Innovate

In this episode of the Confluence podcast, hosts Randall Stevens and Evan Troxel welcome John Cerone, Principal at SHoP Architects. John discusses his journey with SHoP Architects, emphasizing the integration of technology and design in architecture. He shares insights into SHoP’s use of 3D modeling, digital twins, and collaborative processes to streamline construction, reduce costs, and deliver better-built environments. Highlights include the Barclays Center project, automation in construction, empathy in design, and the future of data-driven architecture. Episode Links: * John Cerone on LinkedIn [www.linkedin.com/in/johncerone] * SHoP Architects website [https://www.shoparc.com/] * SHoP Architects on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/shoparchitects/] * Confluence S1E5 - “Looking Forward with AI in AEC”, with Adam Chernick [https://youtu.be/3C6j7REjBQ8] * Upcoming Confluence Events [https://confluence.getavail.com] * San Fransisco, CA - April 23, 2025 (open to everyone) * Lexington, KY - October 9-11, 2025 (by invitation) Watch this episode on YouTube [https://-[JohnCeroneonLinkedIn](www.linkedin.com/in/johncerone)-[SHoPArchitectswebsite](https://www.shoparc.com/)-[SHoPArchitectsonInstagram](https://www.instagram.com/shoparchitects/)-[ConfluenceS1E5-“LookingForwardwithAIinAEC”,withAdamChernick](https://youtu.be/3C6j7REjBQ8)-[UpcomingConfluenceEvents](https://confluence.getavail.com)-SanFransisco,CA-April23,2025(opentoeveryone)-Lexington,KY-October9-11,2025(byinvitation)]. ----- The Confluence podcast is a collaboration between TRXL and AVAIL, and is produced by TRXL Media. * Learn more about them at https://trxl.co/media [https://trxl.co/media] and https://getavail.com [https://getavail.com/] * Learn more about the Confluence podcast at https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast [https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast] * Learn about the Confluence events at https://confluence.getavail.com [https://confluence.getavail.com/]

Innovating with AI in Civil Engineering

Rob Sinclair of Wade Trim joins hosts Randall Stevens and Evan Troxel on the Confluence podcast to talk about how their innovative AI initiatives and their strategic partnership with Yegatech has evolved their business. Rob shares insights on the firm's AI journey, from establishing an AI task force to developing enterprise-level chatbots and automated image recognition tools. The episode also highlights the cultural challenges of AI adoption and the importance of ongoing education and communication. Additionally, Rob recounts his fascinating international work on reality capture projects in Italy, showcasing the integration of cutting-edge technology with historic preservation. EPISODE LINKS * Rob on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robsinclair/] * Wade Trim on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/wade-trim/] * Paul Aubin on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulaubin] * Yegatech [https://yegatech.com/] * Wade Trim Innovation Alley podcast on AI [https://youtu.be/p0er0hyi6oQ?si=D-XSN3jLovqNQLHM] Watch this episode on YouTube [https://youtu.be/5tUsY21-Op4]. ----- The Confluence podcast is a collaboration between TRXL and AVAIL, and is produced by TRXL Media. * Learn more about them at https://trxl.co/media [https://trxl.co/media] and https://getavail.com [https://getavail.com/] * Learn more about the Confluence podcast at https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast [https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast] * Learn about the Confluence events at https://confluence.getavail.com [https://confluence.getavail.com/]

Audacity, Antiquity, and AI

In this episode of the Confluence Podcast, hosts Randall Stephens and Evan Troxel are joined by special guest Christy Chapman from the University of Kentucky to discuss how AI has unlocked antiquity. The discussion focuses on the origins of the Vesuvius Challenge, highlighting its key figure, Brent Seales, a research professor at the University of Kentucky. Christy, who works closely with Brent, shares insights about the ambitious goal to virtually unroll and read ancient scrolls carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Using advanced technology and AI, Christy explains the significant progress made, including the pivotal role of the open-source contest funded by Nat Friedman from GitHub. The conversation covers the technical and human aspects of the project, emphasizing the importance of clear communication, community involvement, and the relentless pursuit of seemingly impossible ideas. Later in the interview, the discussion around communication in technical projects has direct implications for both the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry and software development teams. Just as the Vesuvius Challenge team had to bridge the gap between technical experts and conservators, AEC professionals and software developers must effectively communicate complex technical solutions to various stakeholders, from clients and product managers to contractors and end users. The emphasis on understanding stakeholder concerns, building trust, and creating clear communication channels is particularly relevant when implementing new technologies or methodologies in construction projects and software development cycles. The conversation highlights how successful innovation requires not just technical excellence, but also the ability to bring people along through empathy, clear explanation, and careful consideration of their perspectives and concerns. Episode Links: * Brent Seals - University of Kentucky [https://engr.uky.edu/people/brent-seales] * Vesuvius Challenge [https://scrollprize.org/] * Forbes: AI Peers Inside Burned 2,000-Year-Old Vesuvius Scroll, Finds ‘Disgust’ [https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliekatz/2025/02/07/ai-peers-inside-burned-2000-year-old-vesuvius-scroll-and-finds-disgust/] * How students teamed up to decode 2,000-year-old texts using AI [https://github.blog/ai-and-ml/machine-learning/how-students-teamed-up-to-decode-2000-year-old-texts-using-ai/] on the GitHub blog * A team of students deciphered a 2000-year-old papyrus scroll, with some help from AI [https://www.npr.org/2024/02/10/1230604997/a-team-of-students-deciphered-a-2000-year-old-papyrus-scroll-with-some-help-from] - interview with Brent Seals on NPR * En-Gedi Scroll (Wikipedia) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En-Gedi_Scroll] * Kaggle [https://www.kaggle.com/] * Diamond Light Source facility [https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home.html] * Uncovering ancient text from the Oxford Herculaneum scroll [https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/News/LatestNews/2025/05022025.html] * The Vesuvius challenge solved! We can read the first scroll [https://www.warpnews.org/innovation/the-vesuvius-challenge-solved-we-can-read-the-first-scroll/] * 60 Minutes - Deciphering the ancient scrolls of Herculaneum [https://www.cbsnews.com/news/deciphering-the-ancient-scrolls-of-herculaneum-60-minutes-archive/] ----- The Confluence podcast is a collaboration between TRXL and AVAIL, and is produced by TRXL Media. * Learn more about them at https://trxl.co/media [https://trxl.co/media] and https://getavail.com [https://getavail.com/] * Learn more about the Confluence podcast at https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast [https://confluence.getavail.com/podcast] * Learn about the Confluence events at https://confluence.getavail.com [https://confluence.getavail.com/]