Don't Just Hear About AI. Experience It!
Join students, faculty, industry professionals, and the Southwest Florida community at FGCU for a day of AI discovery and innovation. Explore real-world applications, experience interactive demonstrations, and participate in hands-on workshops. Connect with industry leaders, discover emerging technologies, and see student innovation in action!
Monday, November 2, 2026
9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Florida Gulf Coast University | Cohen Student Union
Explore AI Day
Discover what's happening at AI Day! Explore the event agenda, meet our keynote speaker, and learn more about the presentations and innovations featured throughout the day.
Agenda
| Time | Location | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM | Cohen Student Union Lobby | Registration |
| All Day | Cohen Ballroom | AI in Practice Expo |
| All Day | Cohen 214 | AI Day Hackathons: H{AI}ckathon & Quantum Computing Hackathon |
| 9:00 AM - 9:10 AM | Cohen 201 | Opening Remarks - Huzefa Kagdi, Ph.D (Dean U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering, FGCU) |
| 9:10 AM - 10:10 AM | Cohen 201 | Keynote - Ravi Pendse, Ph.D. (VP for IT and Chief Information Officer, University of Michigan) |
| 10:10 AM - 10:30 AM | ----- | Transition |
| 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Cohen 213 |
Short Talks |
| 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM | Cohen 247 |
Exhibitor Presentations |
| 12:30 PM - 1:10 PM | Cohen Ballroom/201 |
Lunch + College to Career Alumni Panel |
| 1:10 PM - 1:30 PM | ----- |
Transition |
| 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Cohen Ballroom |
Robotics Demos (CougarBots, WCE Robot Dogs, RunibiLabs - remote) |
Keynote Speaker
Talk Abstract
“AI Is Not the Risk. Complacency Is.”
In this interactive discussion, Dr. Pendse will share how the University of Michigan deployed generative AI tools at scale, taking an approach that was collaborative, human-centered, and bold. Attendees will hear lessons from U-M’s implementation, considerations for responsible adoption, and ideas for how institutions can prepare for what’s ahead while keeping people, purpose, and trust at the center.
Ravi Pendse, Ph.D.
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, University of Michigan
9:10–10:10 AM | Cohen 201
Ravi Pendse is the V.P for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at the University of Michigan, where he is an executive officer providing university-wide IT leadership. He previously served as CIO at Brown University and Wichita State University. A professor, researcher, and teacher, he has secured more than $21 million in research grants, and his work spans cybersecurity, AI, the internet of things, and the future of work. Dr. Pendse led the launch of U-M’s custom AI services, making Michigan the first U.S. university to roll out a suite of generative AI tools to all faculty, staff, and students. He champions AI that enhances and augments humanity rather than replacing it, with strong standards for privacy, data use, and research integrity.
Short Talks | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Cohen 213
Hear from industry professionals and community leaders as they showcase real-world applications of artificial intelligence across Southwest Florida. Each 20-minute presentation offers insights into how AI is transforming organizations and industries.
| Time | Speaker | Affiliation | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM – 10:50 AM | Jared Knisley | Fizen Technology (Managing Director) | AI Governance, Organizational Change, and the Future of Responsible Innovation |
| 10:50 AM – 11:10 AM | Jose Segura | NCH (IT Clinical Support) | Helping Clinicians Succeed with Technology |
| 11:10 AM – 11:30 AM | Christiana Deeter | Canterbury School | Meet DigBot: AI in Action with the CougarBots FRC Competitive Robot |
| 11:30 AM – 11:50 PM | Peggy Lamb | Halstatt | AI in Action: Inside Real Estate Investing & REITs |
| 11:50 PM – 12:10 PM | Jason Sciandra | City of Fort Myers (Public Utilities Director) | Utility of the Future: The City of Fort Myers' Digital Transformation |
| 12:10 PM – 12:30 PM | Salvatore Torre | Spoores | Building and Launching a Software Product with AI Agents |
Exhibitor Presentations | 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM | Cohen 247
Discover innovative AI tools, technologies, and real-world solutions through engaging 10-minute presentations from participating technology providers and organizations.
| Time (Proposed) | Presenter | Organization | Presentation Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10:30 AM – 10:40 AM | Johanns Quiroz | Lema.ai | Modernizing Third Party Risk Management in the AI Era. |
| 10:40 AM – 10:50 AM | Nirali Patel | Beam AI | See AI-based takeoffs & estimates in action! |
| 10:50 AM– 11:00 AM | Richard Forman | Punchify | Field Work In. Finished Work Out. - Building AI for the Construction Job Site |
| 11:00 AM – 11:10 AM | Sammy Akkoush | Arthrex | The Modern SDLC with AI. |
| 11:10 AM – 11:20 AM | Josh Phillips | SentinelOne | You Can’t Protect What You Can’t See. |
| 11:20 AM – 11:30 AM | Meredith Chisholm & Leah Burton | SAS | AI, Analytics and Water Quality: Research in Action at FGCU. |
| 11:40 AM – 11:50 AM | Peter Cresse | Entropy Business | Real Life AI. |
| 11:50 AM – 12:00 PM | Jim Wood | Entech | From Clipboard to Cloud: What a Paper Problem Teaches Us About Adopting AI. |
| 12:00 PM - 12:10 PM | Dr. Leandro de Castro | FGCU Dendritic Institute | Research, Education, Outreach: Human-Centered AI for Southwest Florida |
| Authentifi AI | AI Governance Federal |
| Appcom | Arthrex |
| Beam AI | Breakout Learning |
| Canterbury School | Collaboratory & HI + AI Hub |
| Dendritic Institute | Digital ShortCutz |
| Engage Estero | Entech |
| Entropy Business | FGCU - Student Projects |
| Horizon Foundation | Infotect |
| Lee County Economic Development Office | Lema.ai |
| McGraw Hill Higher Education | MonitorZ |
| NCH | Nuro.is |
| Punchify | SAS |
| Symplistic.ai |
Exhibitor & Sponsorship Packages
The AI in Practice Expo is open to any organization using AI in its own operations: businesses, public agencies and nonprofits.
Practitioner exhibitors complete a one-page Use Case Card: the problem, the AI tool or approach, the result and the lesson learned. Cards are displayed at your table and featured in the regional outcomes report published after the event. Selected use cases may be invited to present.
If your organization sells AI products or services, it exhibits as a Solution Provider. Presentation and workshop packages are open to all exhibitors.
AI Practitioners | Organizations Showing How They Use AI
| Practitioner Exhibitor | $100 |
|
| Public Sector & Non-profit Exhibitor | Free |
|
Solution Providers | Companies Selling AI Products or Services
| Standard Exhibitor | $300 |
|
|
Presenting Exhibitor (10 available) |
$1,000 |
|
|
Interactive Workshop Exhibitor (8 available) |
$2,000 |
|
Looking for more information about AI?
If you're looking to collaborate on AI research, incorporate AI into your own workflows,
learn more about the intricacies of AI, or want to showcase your AI proficiency to
employers.
Come learn how at the Dendritic Institute.
Event Partners
Have Questions?
Please contact us at: (239) 590-1362
Past Events
-
AI Day (March 2026 Edition)
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