Innovation, Technology & Design - University of Miami

Exploring the future of digital identity, students showcase their MetaHuman creations, bringing digital twins to life and pushing the boundaries of realism, virtual representation, and immersive design. #AI?#Engineering?#UMiami?#Meta?#architecture?#innovation

They say grading is the worst part of being a professor. But not this week. My students in the Innovation, Technology & Design - University of Miami Ethics and Technology class brought me to tears reading their final exams. I was impressed by their projects on regulating technologies like social media, cloning, AI, and robotics, and by their business plans and pitches for new innovations. I would invest in some of them today if I could. But their final reflections on the semester hit me hardest. This class explored traditional philosophical principles (Kant, Descartes, Bentham, Hume, Locke, virtue theory, Socrates, Plato) and nontraditional theories (Ubuntu, care ethics, indigenous perspectives), applying them to topics like: - Ethical supply chains - Geoengineering - Autonomous vehicles - China's social credit system - AI and education, healthcare, and the environment - Drone warfare - Killer robots - Social media Some students did mock podcast interviews for their final exams. Others wrote long-form blog posts or letters to their future selves. What struck me most: - They debated these issues with family and friends, even when they weren't asked to do so. - They now approach debates and discourse with a critical eye for rhetoric, fallacies, and red herrings. - Some deleted their social media apps or significantly cut down on their use and noted how their self esteem went up and their anxiety went down. - They reflected on how they’ll use these lessons in their future careers. - Some even changed career paths or dream employers. Of course, they’re college students; their perspectives may evolve again. But... I believe that just one person can change the world. If I convinced even one student to consider #ethics, #humanrights, and #privacy in their careers or future government roles, then mission accomplished. No one teaches – whether kindergarteners or college students – for the money. We do it to shape the future, one person at a time. We do it for moments like this. I can’t wait to see how these sophomores and juniors change the world. Whether you teach or not, I hope you’re in a role where you can inspire even one person to create a better future. Who’s the one person you’re inspiring today? And who inspires you? List them in the comments so that we can share the inspiration. Now, back to grading my law school exams... and hoping these don’t bring tears for other reasons!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of hosting Introspection, the first-ever leadership conference for men of color at the University of Miami. ? The story began last May with a concoction of self-belief, a passion for leadership, and a small seed planted in my head by Kennedy Robinson-Birt: "The sky is the limit". With this trident in tow, for the next several months, I worked alongside Victor A. Rios, M.Ed. to write history. ? Introspection is a leadership conference that aims to empower men of color by promoting emotional intelligence to dismantle harmful stereotypes and sociocultural norms, enabling them to safely navigate emotions and to become effective, inspiring leaders. The combination of interactive sessions and wisdom from our esteemed panelists (Christian Garcia, Richard Sobaram, Guillermo Prado, and Sheldon McLean) proved relevant and impactful for attendees as: ? 100% of attendees feel prepared to be a leader as a man of color in a professional or academic setting. 100% of attendees will take on leadership opportunities to hone the skills learned at the conference. 100% of attendees met someone at the conference whom they feel comfortable asking for help in a time of need. ? These results are truly the most beautiful reward for the effort put into the conference and are a testament to its efficacy. I could not have realized this conference without the help of the amazing staff at the Multicultural Student Affairs Office: Kennedy Robinson-Birt, Victor A. Rios, M.Ed., Madison Rodas, M.S.Ed., and Jaylan Lawson.

One of the reasons that I love the University of Miami School of Law is that I have the freedom to explore and innovate. Law students are fantastic but there’s something special about teaching college students. I get the privilege of teaching about ethics and technology in the Innovation, Technology & Design - University of Miami program in our Engineering School. I’m hoping to convince some of them to enter the law because they will have a completely different way of thinking about problems after they graduate. Philosophy and ethics may seem like unimportant topics but I think they are more critical than ever. We’ve talked about Plato’s allegory of the cave and how that relates to disinformation, misinformation, and deepfakes. We’ve discussed how empiricists, utilitarians, Kantians, and others might debate geocooling the earth, cloning, autonomous vehicles and weapons, and killer robots. The trolley problem you may remember from philosophy class has never been more relevant as we think of the grand challenges we face. Now we’re on the AI unit. Talking in class is one thing. Hearing from those who deal with the issues daily is another thing. Thank you to Jason Inasi and MARCIA J. DRAKE for bringing your insights on ethical AI, the importance of data science, and what regulators need to consider. We had a lively discussion that sets the students up for their final projects on regulating technology and designing business plans for tech that incorporate human rights, ethics, and privacy. My ITD students are the future CEOs, regulators, inventors, and ethicists and I’m so proud of them. How often do you consider the ethical implications of technology and do you have any advice for my students?