Welcome to the University of Mary Washington, a public arts and sciences institution in Fredericksburg, Va., that attracts intellectually curious undergraduate and graduate students in search of rigorous academics. The university – located midway between Richmond, Va., and Washington, D.C. – provides a rich array of academic, research, internship, leadership, and recreational opportunities that not only train students for the real world but allow them to interact closely with faculty members.

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Expert Inquiry

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Our Students’ Future in an AI-World is Debatable

Chat(GPT): Navigating the Impact of Generative AI Technologies on Educational Theory and Practice

GREAT LIVES: Gandhi's influence on the American civil rights movement

Supporting Advocacy, Deliberation, and Civic Learning in the Classroom

Introduction to AI

AI and Society

Anand Rao is a nationally recognized expert on communication, digital studies and artificial intelligence in education. As Director of the Center for AI and the Liberal Arts at the University of Mary Washington, he leads efforts to prepare students, educators and organizations for an AI-driven future. His work bridges technology and the humanities, with a focus on how AI can be used responsibly, ethically and creatively in education, business and civic life.

Rao’s research and teaching explore AI explainability, augmented debate-centered instruction, and the societal impact of generative AI. He is:
   •	Co-author and co-editor of Chat(GPT): Navigating the Impact of Generative AI Technologies on Educational Theory and Practice (2023), a No. 1 new release in curricula.
   •	Editor of the forthcoming volume AI Pluralism: Fostering Diversity and Dialogue in Artificial Intelligence. 
   •	Featured in Inside Higher Ed, Higher Education Digest and other academic and professional venues.
   •	Founder and co-host of AI Office Hours – a podcast on AI and education.

A frequent speaker at national and international forums, including the AI & Big Data Expo in London and the Ai4 Conference in Las Vegas, Rao provides expert commentary on AI in education, ethics and policy. He also consults regionally, most recently advising the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce and guiding strategic AI discussions for the UMW Foundation Board.
With more than two decades of experience in communication, digital studies and debate, Rao has built innovative curricula and mentored generations of students in critical thinking, argumentation and digital literacy. He previously founded UMW’s Department of Communication and Digital Studies and helped develop its Speaking Center and Speaking Intensive program.

AI & Education

Rhetorical Theory

Debate

Social Media

Public Speaking

Communication

AI in Education

AI Ethics

AI Office Hours: a podcast on AI and education 

AI Research and Real-World Impact Take Shape at UMW’s Center for AI and the Liberal Arts

UMW Students Get Ahead With Complimentary “Intro to AI” Course

"Persuasive Health Communications," presented at Future of Health Technology Summit 

LISTEN: Town Talk/How AI is changing Fredericksburg

At Univ. of Mary Washington, an AI-Relevant Curriculum Gives Both Students and Faculty an Upper Hand

NEW DOMINION PODCAST: AI and the Future of UMW

PODCAST: Coffee Shop Talk with Dr. Anand Rao (AI and Cafe Ole at Eileen’s Bakery and Cafe)

AI Pluralism: Why Diverse AI is Better AI

Columbia suspended him after he built a cheating app. Now he’s raised $5.3M for it.

The Metacognition Revolution

Teaching Tip: Navigating AI in the Classroom

The Age of AI: AI in the Classroom

Professors Turn to ChatGPT to Teach Students a Lesson

Gandhi’s Influence on Dr. James Farmer

AI and the Humanities: Through the Lens of AI Pluralism

Building Chatbots for AI Literacy

AI in the Workplace

Workforce NOW Workshop: AI in the Workplace

Getting to Production-Ready: Challenges and Best Practices for Deploying AI

AI Chatbots in Communication

Unleashing the Power of Data for All

The Future of AI in Academia

AI for Small Businesses

Argumentation, Communication, and Critical Thinking: Teaching Durable Skills to Prepare Our Students for Success in an AI-World

Augmented Debate-Centered Instruction: A Novel Research Agenda for Responsible AI Integration in Education.”

ChatGPT and Communication: How Generative AI Will Transform Our Field

Professor of Communication and Digital Studies | Director, Center for AI and the Liberal Arts

COVID-19 in Context is an eight-week online summer course starting June 1 that is open to UMW students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the broader community.

Every Monday and Wednesday at 4 p.m., faculty from various disciplines will broadcast a 30-minute lecture followed by an interactive Q&A session. Each session will look at a different aspect of the COVID-19 crisis. And it all takes place remotely, delivered to your phone, tablet, or computer via Zoom. All you need is internet access.

Communicating COVID-19: How We Talk About a Pandemic Changes What We Do

“Flatten the curve,” “shelter in place,” “R-naught,” “Pandemic”
The language we use won’t make COVID-19 go away, but the way we discuss it can change how effective our policies will be to combat its spread. In this talk, we will analyze how scientific data was communicated to the public, and how effective policymaking is dependent upon effective communication strategies.

Presenters: Dr. Anand Rao, Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies; Dr. Elizabeth Johnson-Young, Assistant Professor of Communication

Learn more about our COVID-19 in Context course ➡️ www.umw.edu/covidcourse

Communicating COVID-19: How We Talk About a Pandemic Changes What We Do | COVID-19 in Context | UMW

Great Lives 2021, Mohandas K. Gandhi

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