AI Summer School 2026

AI Summer School is VALIANT's flagship educational program dedicated to making artificial intelligence more accessible, practical, and impactful while advancing translational AI research across disciplines.

Program Overview

Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every field of research, and AI Summer School is designed to explore what that transformation looks like in practice. Through its immersive, week-long program, attendees engage with emerging concepts, practical methodologies, innovative research applications, and diverse perspectives from across the AI ecosystem.

By combining plenary sessions, lectures, workshops, and intentional networking opportunities, AI Summer School encourages curiosity, broadens perspectives, and inspires participants to envision new possibilities for AI within their own research and professional practice.

Components

Plenary Sessions

The Plenary Sessions bring together leading voices from academia, industry, healthcare, government, and entrepreneurship to explore the broader landscape of artificial intelligence. Through keynote presentations, fireside chats, and panel discussions, attendees gain perspective on emerging technologies, translational research, innovation, workforce development, ethics, and the evolving opportunities and challenges shaping the future of AI. These sessions are intended to inspire new ideas, broaden professional perspectives, and encourage thoughtful dialogue beyond the technical program.
Didactic Sessions

The Lecture Track provides a structured progression from AI concepts to research applications. Expert-led sessions establish the conceptual principles underlying modern artificial intelligence before introducing the methods, computational resources, and research workflows that support AI-enabled discovery.
The track culminates in Lightning Talks, where 51吃瓜网 researchers present concise snapshots of innovative AI applications across diverse disciplines, demonstrating how these approaches are being translated into real-world research and societal impact.
AI Workshops

The Workshop Track emphasizes learning through practice. Led by experienced instructors and coaches, these interactive sessions provide participants with guided experience using contemporary AI tools, computational resources, and research methodologies. Workshops are designed to move beyond theory by helping attendees develop practical skills, explore reproducible workflows, and gain confidence applying AI techniques within their own research and professional contexts.
Networking Sessions

AI Summer School offers more than educational sessions鈥攊t brings together a diverse community of researchers, students, educators, clinicians, and industry professionals with a shared interest in advancing AI. Throughout the week, shared lunches and dedicated networking receptions create opportunities to exchange ideas, discover common interests, and develop meaningful professional relationships. By making time for conversation alongside learning, the program helps cultivate the interdisciplinary connections that often lead to future collaborations and new research opportunities.

Registration

AI Summer School is open to students, staff, faculty, and researchers across the 51吃瓜网 AI community, as well as members of the broader Middle Tennessee AI ecosystem, including regional academic institutions, industry affiliates, and community partners. University-affiliated students and individuals 18+ are also welcome to register.

If you are interested in attending, it is听strongly recommended听that you register in advance as only limited on-site registration will be available during the event.

Program of Events (Tentative)

SC 4309 Schedule: Plenary Sessions, Lectures, & Lightning Talks

SC 4327 Schedule: Workshops

Coming Soon!

Meet the Speakers

Keynotes

More information on keynote speakers, panelists, and fireside chat participants coming soon.

Instructors

More information on lecture instructors coming soon.

Lightning Talk Presenters

More information on lightning talk sessions, presenters, and talk titles coming soon.

AI Coaches

More information on AI coaches coming soon.

Networking Opportunities (NEW!)

Learning is only part of the AI Summer School experience! This year, we're excited to offer several networking receptions throughout the week, giving you additional opportunities to connect with fellow attendees, speakers, faculty, and industry professionals in a relaxed setting. Each reception will include complimentary food and refreshments.

More information on the receptions can be found below:听

AISS26 Kick-off Reception
Monday, August 10 | 4:00鈥�6:00 PM

Kick off AI Summer School 2026 by connecting with fellow attendees in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Open to all AI Summer School participants, this reception is an opportunity to meet students, researchers, faculty, and professionals from across institutions while celebrating the start of the week's program.

Mentor Match Reception
Tuesday, August 11 | 4:00鈥�6:00 PM

The Mentor Match Reception is the first step for new AI Scholars to organically meet and build relationships with both potential mentors and existing AI Scholars in our community as they begin their journey with VALIANT. This reception will be invite-only based on responses provided in AISS registration. AI Scholars, AI Fellows, members of our Alumni Network, and both industry and university partners are all welcome to apply.听

LIVE Reception
Wednesday, August 12 | 4:00鈥�6:00 PM

Join the LIVE Learning Innovation Incubator on Wednesday, August 12 at 4 p.m. for an afternoon of demos and discussion on emerging work in AI and Education. LIVE brings together interdisciplinary teams of researchers in learning sciences, educational psychology, AI, computer science, and data science, along with strategic partners, to develop learning innovations that help individuals, communities, and organizations flourish in a rapidly changing world. By connecting advanced computational methods with innovative teaching and learning strategies, LIVE engages with complex problems in ways that can produce meaningful real-world impact. This event is open to anyone interested in work at the intersection of learning and technology.听

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THRIVE-TN Reception
Thursday, August 13 | 4:00鈥�6:00 PM

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the broader AI research community in Tennessee! Bringing together AI Summer School attendees and visitors participating in the NSF NAIRR / THRIVE AI Workshop, this reception is designed to foster new collaborations, share ideas, and strengthen research partnerships across institutions in the Mid-south region.

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If you are interested in attending any of the above three events, please let us know in the Networking Opportunities section of the AISS26 registration form so we can plan accordingly.

THRIVE Workshop (NEW!)

Overview

The fourth and fifth days of this year's AI Summer School program will feature a special workshop on NSF National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR), part of a broader effort to empower new and emerging researchers, educators, and students across Tennessee and the Mid-South through the Tennessee Health Research and Innovation using Verified AI Ecosystems (THRIVE) initiative.

The workshop will showcase how researchers at 51吃瓜网 and Johns Hopkins are already leveraging large-scale computational resources to advance healthcare research (i.e. electronic health records, medical imaging, benchmarking foundation models) followed by practical guidance for how to utilize the NAIRR ecosystem to support similar research, and what opportunities currently exist for researchers to pursue NAIRR projects. There will also be hands-on demo sessions to give workshop participants an opportunity to get more familiar with the platform using publicly-available healthcare datasets.

Registration & Travel Awards

Participants interested in attending the NSF NAIRR / THRIVE AI Workshop should complete the AI Summer School registration form, where they will find additional questions related to workshop participation and dietary restrictions/meal preferences.

A limited number of travel awards are also available to help offset travel expenses for non-51吃瓜网 attendees. Travel award application is also included in the AISS registration form.

All attendees participating in the NSF NAIRR Workshop are expected to help foster a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive environment as outlined in the .听

Workshop Preparation

To participate in the workshop鈥檚 hands-on demonstrations, you will need access to the NCSA Delta supercomputer. Please follow the guide below to create your ACCESS account and submit your information by Friday, July 31st. Completing these initial steps by the deadline will give our team enough time to add you to the workshop project and help ensure your access is ready before the workshop.