UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The AI Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning has awarded 46 grants to Penn State faculty and faculty teams through the inaugural cycle of two instructional innovation grant programs supporting the thoughtful integration of generative artificial intelligence into teaching and learning.
Funded through the Office of the Provost, the grants will support projects during the 2026-27 academic year, ranging from focused classroom experiments to transformations of large, multi-section courses and academic programs. The projects were selected through a competitive review process and represent a range of disciplines, instructional settings and approaches to using AI to support student learning.
“These projects give faculty the opportunity to explore what teaching and learning can look like as AI capabilities continue to evolve,” said Crystal Ramsay, assistant vice provost for the AI Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning. “I am excited to see this work take shape and look forward to helping share what faculty learn with the broader Penn State community.”
The program awarded a total of $384,355 through microgrants and large transformation grants.
AI in Instruction Microgrants
Thirty-eight faculty members received AI in Instruction Microgrants, which provide up to $1,000 to individual faculty members pursuing small-scale instructional innovations using generative AI.
Recipients represent academic disciplines and campuses across Penn State, with 25 awards going to faculty at the University Park campus and 13 to faculty at Commonwealth Campuses. Their projects explore questions ranging from AI-supported feedback, research and simulation to critical AI literacy, assessment, professional practice and student engagement.
The 2026-27 AI in Instruction Microgrant recipients and their projects are:
-
David Agler, associate teaching professor of philosophy in the College of the Liberal Arts, “Logic Bee — Logic Quiz App”
-
Delina Agnosteva, associate teaching professor of finance in the Smeal College of Business, “Prompt–Build–Audit–Defend: AI-Integrated Experiential Learning in the Corporate Finance Boot Camp”
-
Tugce Arda Tuncdemir, assistant professor of education at Penn State Harrisburg, “Preparing Future Educators for Ethical and Reflective AI Integration Through Course-Embedded Assignments”
-
Amit Banerjee, associate professor of mechanical Engineering at Penn State Harrisburg, “Agentic AI Assistant as a Replacement for LLM Chatbots for Structured Learning”
-
Jennifer Breese, associate professor of information technology at Penn State Greater Allegheny, “Scaffolded AI Engagement for Cybersecurity Education: Building Critical AI Fluency Through Iterative Prompting and Reflective Practice”
-
Tracey Carbonetto, associate teaching professor of engineering at Penn State Lehigh Valley, “Smart Study Showdown: AI-Powered Prep vs. Commercial FE/PE Study Tools”
-
Kyle Chalupczynski, assistant teaching professor of management information systems at Penn State Behrend, “API Credits for an LLM-Integrated Business Analysis Course Platform”
-
Hamid Emami-Meybodi, associate professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering in the John and Willie Leone Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, “Responsible AI-Supported Learning in Web-Based Subsurface Energy Engineering Education”
-
Brian Gardner, assistant teaching professor of information technology at Penn State Schuylkill, “Integrating Generative AI into Applied Cybersecurity Analysis Labs”
-
Sona Golder, professor of political science in the College of the Liberal Arts, “Adapting AI to Increase Student Engagement”
-
Jiawei Gong, associate professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State Behrend, “AI-Augmented Debugging and Code-Critique Workshops in CMPSC 200”
-
Stephanie Gresh, assistant teaching professor of business at Penn State Lehigh Valley, “Scaling Neuro-Aligned Synergistic Pedagogy (NASP): Strengthening Critical AI Literacy and Human Cognitive Ownership in Higher Education”
-
Lori Hepner, professor of integrative arts at Penn State Greater Allegheny, “What You Remember: A Hands-First Studio Method for Teaching AI Literacy in a GenEd Arts Course”
-
Yuqing Hu, associate professor of architectural engineering in the College of Engineering, “EduGenie: Co-Designed AI Game-Based Learning for Engineering Courses”
-
Azharul Islam, assistant teaching professor of economics at Penn State Harrisburg, “AI-Assisted Open Economy Macroeconomic Simulation”
-
Linlin Jensen, teaching professor of chemistry in the Eberly College of Science, “Integrating Generative AI into In-Class Case Studies in Introductory Chemistry”
-
Inkyu Kang, professor of journalism and communications at Penn State Behrend, “Augmenting, Not Replacing: The AI Decision Point Framework for Critical AI Literacy”
-
Ying Kline, assistant teaching professor of Chinese in the College of the Liberal Arts, “Integrate Edvisor.ai into CHNS-412 Business Chinese”
-
Siyu Liu, associate professor of criminal justice at Penn State Harrisburg, “An Interdisciplinary Project Using Conversational AI Chatbot to Strengthen Communication Skills Among Criminal Justice Students”
-
Parisa Lotfi, assistant teaching professor of electrical engineering in the College of Engineering, “AI-Assisted Formative Feedback for Circuit Analysis and Design in EE310”
-
Jennifer McCauley, assistant teaching professor of human-centered computing and social informatics in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, “Designing AI for the Enterprise: A Live Lab Environment for ETI 200”
-
Gamini Mendis, assistant professor of engineering at Penn State Behrend, “AI Integration into PLET 304 and PES 340 — A Foundation for AI Integration into Plastics Curriculum”
-
Rasoul Milasi, assistant professor of electrical engineering at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, “From Generative AI to Verified Embedded Vision Systems”
-
Muzi Na, associate professor of nutritional sciences in the College of Health and Human Development, “Integrating AI-Simulated Debates and Iterative Writing to Advance Scholarly Inquiry in Nutritional Sciences”
-
Bequie Perry, assistant teaching professor of nursing at Penn State Fayette, “AI as a Teaching Tool in Forensic Nursing: Collaborative Case-Based Learning and Documentation”
-
Tiffany Alana Petricini, associate teaching professor of communication at Penn State Behrend, “Teaching Research with AI: Building Student Capacity for Ethical, Verifiable, and AI-Supported Inquiry”
-
Federica Pinelli, assistant teaching professor of management and organization in the Smeal College of Business, “AI Generated Instructor Videos to Support Applied Learning in MBA Organizational Behavior”
-
Michael Polgar, professor of sociology at Penn State Hazleton, “Holocaust Education Comparing AI with Reputable Sources Including Online Encyclopedia”
-
Suman Saha, associate teaching professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering, “Building an AI-Guided Interface for Authentic Take-Home Assignments in Computing Education”
-
Shruti Shrestha, assistant teaching professor of physics at Penn State Brandywine, “A Generative AI Framework for Enhancing Active Learning in Physics”
-
Elzbieta Sikora, teaching professor and graduate programs coordinator in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, College of Engineering, “Engaging AI to Explore the Cultural and Historical Context in the Evolution of Engineering Materials”
-
Mary Ann Smith, lecturer of biology at Penn State Schuylkill, “Creating Frameworks for Research in the Biology Lab”
-
Patricia Weitzel, assistant professor of double bass in the College of Arts and Architecture, “AI-Assisted Lesson Review and Reflective Practice in the Double Bass Studio”
-
Jill Wood, teaching professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies in the College of the Liberal Arts, “AI and Feminist Ways of Knowing: Building Critical Literacy Through Reading, Storytelling, and Creative Expression”
-
Brian Zajac, professor of practice and director of industry relations in the School of Engineering Design and Innovation, College of Engineering, “Generative AI as a Verified Co-Pilot for PLC Programming and Manufacturing Data Analysis”
-
Jun Zhou, department chair and professor of mechanical engineering at Penn State Behrend, “Integration of AI Tools into ME 428: Applied Computational Fluid Dynamics”
-
Nan Zhu, associate professor of risk management and William Elliott Chaired Professor of Insurance and Risk Management in the Smeal College of Business, “Improving the Reliability of AI Learning Agents for Quantitative Risk Management Instruction”
-
Christopher Zorn, professor of political science and affiliate professor of information sciences and technology in the College of the Liberal Arts and College of IST, “Assessing the Impact of Course-Based Innovation on AI Literacy in the Social and Behavioral Sciences”
Program or Large Course Transformation Grants
The center also awarded eight Program or Large Course Transformation Grants to faculty teams undertaking more extensive redesigns of teaching and learning. These grants provide up to $50,000 to support transformations of large, multi-section undergraduate courses or academic programs.
The selected projects demonstrate different ways AI can become part of the learning environment rather than simply an add-on to existing instruction. Across the portfolio, faculty will explore AI-supported tutoring and feedback, simulations and visualization, experiential learning, new approaches to assessment, critical examination of AI and strategies that ask students to test and verify AI-generated information.
The eight funded projects are:
-
“AI-Resilient Assessment in CYBER 100: GenAI Literacy and Verification at Scale.” Led by Edward J. Glantz, teaching professor and director of master’s programs in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, the project will redesign CYBER 100 assignments so students learn to document, verify and take responsibility for their use of generative AI, with a model designed to scale across a course offered at roughly 14 Penn State locations. The team includes Jennifer McCauley, assistant teaching professor of human-centered computing and social informatics in the College of Information Sciences and Technology; Mahdi Nasereddin, associate professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State Berks; and Michael R. Bartolacci, professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State Berks.
-
“ENGAGE-AI: Reimagining Project-Based Engineering Education from First-Year Design to Senior Capstone.” A Penn State Behrend team will integrate AI-supported feedback, course assistants and student validation activities across engineering design, programming and capstone courses, potentially reaching hundreds of student enrollments each year. The team includes Jiawei Gong, associate professor of mechanical engineering; Jing “Julia” Zhao, assistant professor of industrial engineering; Dean Lewis, assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering; and Jonathan Liaw, lecturer in engineering, computer science and software engineering.
-
“Making Data-Structure Reasoning Visible: AI-Guided Assignment Transformation for CMPSC 132 Across Penn State Campuses.” The project will use AI-guided, game-based assignments to help students visualize and explain their reasoning about data structures, creating a model that could support more consistent learning across the University Park campus and Commonwealth Campus sections. The team includes Suman Saha, associate teaching professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; Mahfuza Farooque, teaching professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; Krishna Kambhampaty, assistant teaching professor in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, College of Engineering; and additional collaborators Jing “Julia” Zhao, Dean Lewis and Jonathan Liaw.
-
“Transforming ECON 102 Through AI-Enhanced Experiential Learning and Assessment.” Faculty at Penn State Harrisburg will use AI-supported simulations, decision-making activities and redesigned assessments to help 600 to 700 students annually apply economic concepts while critically evaluating AI-generated information. The project team includes Zeliha Ozdogan, associate teaching professor of economics, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg; Sabri Yilmaz, teaching professor of economics, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg; Indrit Hoxha, professor of economics, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg; Sujeong Park, assistant professor of health policy and addiction studies, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg; and Azharul Islam, assistant teaching professor of economics, School of Business Administration, Penn State Harrisburg.
-
“QUANTA: AI-Enabled Transformation of Physics Learning and Assessment.” The project will expand an AI-based Socratic tutor that can interpret equations and handwritten work, while studying how AI-supported learning affects students’ problem-solving and self-regulated learning in large-enrollment physics courses. The team includes Louis Leblond, associate teaching professor of physics in the Eberly College of Science; Eric Hudson, director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Physics, Eberly College of Science; Rayne Sperling, professor of educational psychology in the College of Education; Sarah Shandera, associate professor of physics in the Eberly College of Science; and Chad Hanna, professor of physics in the Eberly College of Science.
-
“Critical AI Literacy: Reimagining Education and Public Policy at Penn State.” Faculty will embed critical AI literacy across the Education and Public Policy program, including a new course on AI and education policy, preparing students to examine the ethical, civic and policy implications of AI as well as its uses. The project team includes Kevin Kinser, professor and department head of Education Policy Studies; Dana Mitra, professor of education policy studies; David Gamson, professor of education; and Gerald K. LeTendre, professor of education, all in the College of Education.
-
“Transforming How Students Learn from Visual Displays in Biology.” The project will develop an AI-based Socratic tutor to help anatomy and physiology students interpret graphs, diagrams and other scientific representations, with the potential to benefit more than 1,500 students annually and expand to other life science courses. The team includes John R. Waters, teaching professor of biology and anthropology; Danielle Waters, assistant teaching professor of biology; John Neisser, associate teaching professor of biology; and Peggy Noel Van Meter, professor of educational psychology, counseling, and special education. All four faculty members are based at the University Park campus.
-
“AI-Augmented Education in Water Resources Engineering.” Students across four civil and environmental engineering courses will compare AI-generated predictions with real-world water behavior using a sensor-equipped stream table and augmented reality, building their ability to test AI outputs against physical evidence. The team includes Roberto Fernández, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering; Lauren McPhillips, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; Alfonso Mejía, professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Christine J. Kirchhoff, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, all in the College of Engineering.
-
Taken together, the projects show the range of questions faculty are asking as AI becomes more prevalent in higher education: How can AI provide useful feedback without replacing student thinking? How should assessment change when students have access to powerful generative tools? How can students learn to recognize when AI is wrong? And how might AI create learning experiences that would otherwise be difficult to provide at scale?
Building AI literacy and sharing what works
Faculty applying to the grant programs were required to complete AI Essentials at Penn State as part of the application process, providing a shared foundation in AI literacy and responsible AI use.
Students participating in courses and programs supported by the Program or Large Course Transformation Grants also will complete AI Essentials literacy training in Canvas as part of the grant-supported activities.
Beyond supporting individual projects, the grant programs are intended to help the University learn from faculty experimentation across disciplines and instructional contexts. Awarded teams will document what they implemented, what they learned, evidence of the projects’ impact on student learning or engagement, and plans to continue, modify, scale or expand their work.
Teams also will share their findings at University-sponsored events, such as symposia, workshops or learning community sessions, so that lessons from the projects can inform future teaching and learning efforts across Penn State.
“These grants are an opportunity to learn alongside our faculty and students,” Ramsay said. “We want to understand not only where AI can strengthen teaching and learning, but also where it presents challenges, and then share those lessons so faculty across Penn State can make thoughtful decisions in their own contexts.”
Looking ahead
Building on the inaugural grant cycle, the AI Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning plans to issue another call for proposals for both grant programs during the fall 2026 semester, with selected microgrant projects to be carried out during the spring semester and selected large grant projects to be carried out during the 2027-28 academic year.
For more information about the grant programs or the AI Center of Excellence in Teaching and Learning, contact aicenterofexcellence@psu.edu.