Lohr College leads conversations on AI's impact in successful symposium

Industry and academic leaders, startup entrepreneurs, graduate students and researchers convened in Sioux Falls to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming critical sectors and industries.  

Artificial intelligence is transforming nearly every sector of society, and South Dakota State University's Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering is leading critical conversations on the role AI is playing in reshaping industries key to South Dakota, the region and the United States.  

Over 250 industry and academic leaders, startup entrepreneurs, graduate students and researchers congregated on March 27 in Sioux Falls'Sanford Event Barn for the university's first Innovate AI Symposium.  

"The successful organization of this AI Symposium marks a significant milestone in bringing together innovators, researchers and industry leaders to learn from each other and shape the future of artificial intelligence," said Sanjeev Kumar, dean of the Lohr College. "The level of collaboration and exchange of ideas we witnessed here underscores not only how far the field has come, but also the shared commitment to ensuring AI is developed responsibly and for the benefit of society. It also reaffirms our college’s position as a leader in AI, driving innovation, research and real-world impact in this rapidly evolving field." 

The one-day event was highlighted by the announcement of the university's new Center for AI Innovation and Emergent Technologies. The center, made possible through $750,000 of federal appropriations through Sen. Mike Rounds, will ensure SDSU's graduates are ready to thrive in an AI-driven world. 

The morning session's keynote presentation, titled "No Zip Code Left Behind: AI, Virtual Care and the Future of Rural Health," was given by David Newman, Sanford Health's chief medical officer for virtual care, who discussed how AI can help improve rural health outcomes through virtual care. A panel discussion of health care industry leaders, including executives from Sanford Health, Avera Health, Mayo Clinic, Monument Health and Revolution Medicines, followed the keynote presentation. The discussion was moderated by Rajesh Kavasseri, associate dean for research in the Lohr College. 

"The symposium stands as a testament to both the opportunity and responsibility of this moment in AI," Kavasseri said. "The college’s technical leadership, combined with the university’s land-grant commitment to AI literacy, ensures this work will continue—translating conversation into education, impact and regional prosperity."

SDSU's faculty-led AI research was on full display at the symposium. Chulwoo Pack, assistant professor in the McComish Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Semhar Michael, associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics; Nicholas Butzin, associate professor in the Department of Biology and Microbiology; and Victor Taylor, vice provost for graduate education and extended studies, each presented on their AI-applied research.  

The student poster session, which featured over 30 posters from SDSU and other regional universities, demonstrated the breadth and scale of AI-related research at the university level. Research projects covered everything from lithium-ion batteries to phenology assessment in wheat plants to social media analytics.  

The "Industry Voices in AI" session featured six industry speakers exploring how AI is being applied across sectors, including agentic workflow systems on cloud platforms, autonomous agricultural machinery and AI-driven financial decisioning. Two back-to-back talks address cybersecurity, examining how attackers are leveraging AI against government agencies and whether popular generative AI tools can be trusted with sensitive organizational data.

Lt. Col. Riley Hestermann, executive officer to the adjutant general for the South Dakota National Guard, gave the afternoon's keynote presentation, titled "AI at the Front Line of National Security." Hestermann discussed how AI is currently shaping defense operations, from autonomous drones to cyber defense, and the need for trustworthy and responsible AI. A panel discussion surrounding AI and national security between representatives from the U.S. Strategic Command and National Guard followed the keynote address. 

"The ideas and connections sparked at the symposium will have a lasting impact well beyond this event," Kumar added. "I would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who participated, presented, and contributed to organizing the symposium, with special appreciation for our dedicated staff and volunteers whose efforts made this event possible."