On April 7th, 2025, the Trent University Library is hosting a mini-conference on the topic of artificial intelligence in higher education. The series includes a keynote address by Dr. Susan McCahan (University of Toronto); concurrent sessions featuring Trent faculty and students, as well as Dr. Souroush Sabbaghan (University of Calgary); and a presentation by Dr. Amir Pahlevanpour (Ontario Centre of Innovation). This series is supported by the Trent Teaching Commons and the Distinguished Visiting Teaching Scholars Fund. You can learn more and register on the event page. 

Dr. Susan McCahan  

Dr. Susan McCahan is currently the Associate Vice-President and Vice-Provost, Digital Strategies and Vice-Provost, Innovations in Undergraduate Education at the University of Toronto. She is also the Provostial Advisor on Artificial Intelligence, and is Chairing the Taskforce on AI, which will wrap up its work in Spring 2025. Her Vice-Provost role includes strategic leadership on IT systems and data systems that support academic processes and teaching; and leadership on key pedagogical initiatives such as experiential learning. Prof. McCahan’s current research projects include analysis of technology use in Active Learning Classrooms, and investigation of the impact of emerging AI technologies on engineering curricula. 

Dr. Souroush Sabbaghan 

Dr. Soroush Sabbaghan is an Associate Professor and the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary. His work focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence and education, emphasizing AI literacy, ethical AI integration, and inclusive course design. He has developed custom AI-powered tools that support educators in curriculum design, interactive learning, academic writing, and research assistance. Dr. Sabbaghan is also the editor of the upcoming volume of Navigating Generative AI in Higher Education: Ethical, Theoretical, and Practical Perspectives, which explores the evolving role of generative AI in academia. A recognized leader in responsible AI adoption, he frequently presents on the impact of generative AI on pedagogy, assessment, and academic integrity. 

Dr. Amir Pahlevanpour 

Dr. Amir Pahlevanpour is the Team Lead for the Critical Industrial Technologies (CIT) initiative at the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), where he drives AI adoption across key sectors, including manufacturing, construction, and agri-food. With over a decade of experience in AI/ML, entrepreneurship, and commercialization, Amir blends technical expertise with strategic leadership to build impactful partnerships between industry and academia.