The Incubator
USD to Host Week of AI-Focused Events, Highlighting Commitment to Research and Innovation
June 19, 2025
The University of South Dakota (USD) will hold a weeklong series of events centered on artificial intelligence from June 23 to 27. These gatherings will bring together experts, educators, and industry leaders from across the United States and internationally. Spanning two cities and three major events, the series reflects USD’s dedication to advancing AI research and its practical applications in fields such as science, health, industry, and education.
USD President Sheila K. Gestring emphasized the university’s role in leading AI development in the region. She noted that USD’s faculty are actively shaping AI’s future while preparing students to address pressing global challenges using this technology. The events aim to foster meaningful conversations that propel AI fields forward.
At USD, AI is integrated into numerous academic programs including medicine, business, education, and the humanities. The university promotes an “AI for good” philosophy, preparing students to develop and apply AI responsibly, creatively, and effectively. Combining technology with ethics and public policy, USD equips graduates to create human-centered AI solutions and lead in a technology-driven world.
AI-Powered Materials Discovery in the Great Plains
The week kicks off with the Workshop for AI-Powered Materials Discovery in the Great Plains, taking place June 23-25 on USD’s Vermillion campus. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), this workshop will gather more than 230 researchers and educators from nine EPSCoR jurisdictions. Participants represent diverse disciplines including physics, chemistry, materials science, computer science, and biomedical engineering.
The workshop focuses on addressing infrastructure gaps in AI-driven materials research, especially in underrepresented regions like the Great Plains. Its goal is to build research capacity that accelerates materials discovery using AI tools.
This event also offers educational sessions for middle and high school teachers, conducted in partnership with the NSF-funded E-CORE project led by Black Hills State University. These sessions provide AI-focused resources to inspire future scientists throughout the region’s classrooms.
Dongming Mei, a USD physics professor and workshop organizer, described the workshop as more than a conference. It’s a platform for building community, exchanging ideas, and accelerating AI-powered discovery while involving educators and students from the ground up. The workshop illustrates how targeted investment in science and education can create nationwide impact by turning challenges into opportunities.
AI Symposium and South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium
On June 26, USD’s Sioux Falls campus will host the seventh annual Artificial Intelligence Symposium, followed by the inaugural South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium on June 27. These events bring together experts from academia, industry, and government to discuss topics at the intersection of technology and science, including AI, data engineering, cybersecurity, sustainable agriculture, and health care.
KC Santosh, chair of USD’s computer science department and founding chair of the AI Symposium, highlighted the importance of AI in managing and analyzing the vast amounts of data generated today. He explained that without AI tools, meaningful data analytics would not be feasible.
The symposium provides a platform to showcase innovation, highlight leading research, and foster collaboration among universities, government agencies, and businesses. It supports the growth of AI and workforce development across South Dakota.
The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium will concentrate on computational methods applied to biology, biomedicine, and clinical sciences. This includes computational biology, systems biology, bioinformatics, AI, machine learning, simulation, and modeling.
Dr. William CW Chen, assistant professor and chair of the consortium, pointed out that this initiative marks a significant milestone in biomedical computation collaboration in South Dakota. The consortium offers immersive experiences in computational and AI applications for undergraduate, graduate, medical students, and academic trainees.
About the South Dakota Biomedical Computation Collaborative
The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Collaborative is a partnership among the University of South Dakota, Sanford School of Medicine, and South Dakota Mines. It aims to transform medical education and biomedical sciences by integrating computational and AI tools. Supported by grants from the U.S. Department of Education and the South Dakota Board of Regents, this initiative enhances clinical practice, research, and education to strengthen healthcare in the state.
The South Dakota Biomedical Computation Consortium, founded in 2024 with backing from this initiative, serves as the collaborative’s foundation for fostering computational expertise in biomedicine.
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