A Special Symposium Hosted by President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.

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Helen Crompton is the executive director of the Research Institute for Digital Innovation in Learning at ODUGlobal, professor of instructional technology, and director of the Virtual Reality Lab at Old Dominion University. Dr. Crompton earned her Ph.D. in educational technology and mathematics education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Crompton has achieved a place on Stanford's esteemed list of the top 2% of scientists worldwide. Her exceptional work in technology integration has garnered her numerous accolades, including the SCHEV award. Crompton's expertise extends beyond academia, as she frequently serves as a consultant for various governments, bilateral and multilateral organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank, leveraging her knowledge and experience to drive meaningful change in educational technology. 

Crompton's research and extensive experience with AI establishes her as a foremost authority on the impact of AI on educational environments. Crompton's contributions include designing the artificial intelligence K-12 framework for the United Nations. In 2017, Dr. Crompton developed one of the first courses in the world that taught educators how to incorporate AI into education. Her research continues to focus on AI in education.

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Khan Iftekharuddin is a professor and Batten Endowed Chair in Machine Learning in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Old Dominion University. He served as an interim dean in the Batten College of Engineering and Technology for 2021-22 and as associate dean for research and graduate studies for 2017—21 and 2022—23. He concurrently serves as a director of the ODU Vision Lab since 2011. 

Dr. Iftekharuddin served as chair of ECE from 2013-2017. He received his master's of science and Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Dayton. Iftekharuddin won the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia's (SCHEV) outstanding faculty award in 2023, and Stanford University cited him among the top 2% of researchers globally. Iftekharuddin has received numerous awards in his career: ODU's 2020 Faculty Research, Scholarship and Creative Achievement Award; best researcher award from three different academic institutions: ODU's Batten College of Engineering and Technology; the Herff Outstanding Faculty Research Award in the College of Engineering and Technology for 2011 at the University of Memphis; North Dakota State University's Researcher of the Year Award in the College of Engineering and Architecture for 2000. His research interests include computational modeling, AI and machine learning, stochastic medical imaging analysis, radiogenomics for precision medicine, biologically inspired human-machine interaction and recognition, and sensing and cyberphysical systems. He has served as the primary investigator for over $23 million in externally funded research projects and successfully led multiple national and international collaborative research projects. Iftekharuddin, who holds four US patents as a co-inventor, has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the Air Force Research Laboratory, the Navy, the US Department of Transportation, the Whitaker Foundation, FedEx and Timken Research. 

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Dr. Chrysoula Malogianni is the Associate Vice President for Digital Innovation at ODU's Division of Digital Learning. With a Master's in Educational Technology from Michigan State University, a PhD in Instructional Design and Technology from ODU, and a postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Education Leadership from Harvard Graduate School of Education, Dr. Malogianni is a seasoned higher education leader with a focus on digital innovation and technology integration for educational excellence.

Drawing on extensive experience in leading institutions through the transition from face-to-face to online learning, she excels in leveraging digital learning platforms and new technologies to enhance educational experiences. With expertise in curriculum development and program management, she has over 10 years of experience in implementing transformative technology solutions.

Passionately creating innovative educational offerings, Dr. Malogianni drives organizational expectations through sound guidance and integrated strategies. Her online programs have garnered recognition as top in the state and region. In addition, she has made significant contributions as a digital learning consultant for non-profit organizations, securing multi-million-dollar grants. With a focus on the interplay between cognition and technology for advancements in learning, Dr. Malogianni is an evidence-based practitioner and digital innovation leader.

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Jian Wu is an assistant professor of computer science at Old Dominion University. Dr. Wu obtained his doctoral degree at Pennsylvania State University in 2011. He has published over 80 peer-reviewed papers in ACM, IEEE, and AAAI conferences and journals, with best papers and nominations. 

Wu’s research interests cover various artificial intelligence-related fields, including natural language processing, natural language understanding, computer vision, scholarly big data, science of science, digital libraries and information retrieval. The National Science Foundation, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Virginia Commonwealth have supported his research. In addition to being on program committees for numerous conferences on artificial intelligence, he is also a member of the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations Board of Directors. 

Wu received the ODU Alumni Association New Faculty Award and the College of Sciences' Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award. He shared the British Computer Society Award with C. Lee Giles for the Best Open-Source Project in 2021. 

In addition to research, Wu has introduced several courses on artificial intelligence and its applications, including natural language understanding, fundamentals of deep learning and mining scholarly big data. He is the co-chair of the International Workshop on AI for Science of Science.

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Tracie Ortiz is the instructional design manager and diversity, equity, and inclusion design coordinator at Old Dominion University. Dr. Ortiz brings a colorful academic background, having earned her Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, specializing in educational technology with a particular emphasis on accessibility in online learning. 

With a tenure spanning over three decades in the field of education, Ortiz has demonstrated a profound commitment to her craft. Before assuming her current positions, she served as a special education teacher in K-12 settings, where she expertly catered to students with varying hearing loss and communication levels. Additionally, she has imparted her knowledge as an instructor at numerous reputable universities and community colleges in Texas, California, Hawaii, and Virginia. 

Ortiz's contributions extend beyond the classroom, as she has dedicated her research to exploring accessibility and technology within online learning environments. Her expertise has been recognized through several valuable presentations she has delivered at professional organizations like AHEAD, AECT, and ADEIL. In her current research pursuits, Ortiz focuses on the intersection of AI and accessibility, emphasizing the critical need for equity and inclusivity when employing AI technologies.