Ep. 19 - Julie Parks & Kristi Haik, PhD: “A.I.101: INTRO TO ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE”
A.I.101: Intro to Artificial Intelligence
Join in on this enlightening conversation about the world of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) with distinguished guests Julie Parks, Dean & Executive Director Workforce Training & Tassell M-Tec, GRCC, and Kristi Haik, Ph.D., Dean of S.T.E.M. at GRCC. In this insightful conversation, these two accomplished leaders share their expertise and perspectives on the transformative impact of A.I. on education, business, and beyond.
Key Highlights:
Navigating the A.I. Landscape: Julie Parks and Kristi Haik bring their extensive experience to the table as they discuss the current state of A.I. and its implications.
Educational Frontiers: Gain valuable insights into how A.I. is reshaping the landscape of education. Learn about what educational institutions must consider as they harness the power of A.I. for the benefit of students.
Challenges and Opportunities: The conversation delves into the challenges posed by A.I. and the opportunities it presents for growth and advancement. Discover how these leaders navigate the delicate balance between embracing innovation and addressing ethical considerations.
Future Prospects: As A.I. continues to evolve, find out what the future holds for education, technology, and society at large. Julie Parks and Kristi Haik share their thoughts on the exciting possibilities that lie ahead, as well as a cautionary tale.
BIO: About Julie Parks & Kristi Haik, PhD
Julie Parks: Julie Parks is GRCC’s Executive Director of Workforce Training, and the GRCC Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC overseeing multiple programs that last year touched the lives of more than 20,000 people. She is intensely focused on helping people gain in-demand skills for rewarding careers.
Parks is an advocate for the underserved and under skilled in the West Michigan community and she has been instrumental in bringing over $50 million in grants to the Tassell M-TEC since 2010, with much of these resources used to offset training costs to students who may not otherwise be able to attend training.
Parks has a passion for education and works to bring employers into the development stage to build training curriculum to meet the needs of business and industry. She listens to the needs of the more than 435 West Michigan employers and stakeholders Workforce Training works with annually. In response, Workforce Training launched more than 10 pilot training programs and continuously develops new ones.
Parks has more than 15 years of experience in workforce development and curriculum development. Before starting with GRCC in 2005, she was a financial specialist for Western Michigan University and assistant to the director of Michigan State University’s Institute for Children, Youth and Families. Parks also worked for Meijer, Inc. in the company’s distribution center as inventory control manager and in Meijer stores as a department manager.
She is recognized as a leader on campus, in the community, and nationally. Recent honors include the 2019 Bellwether Award Finalist for Public Works Academy, the 2019 Innovation of the Year from the League of Innovation for the Sterile Processing Technician Apprenticeship Program, the 2018 and 2019 Impact Award Recipient from West Michigan Works!, the 2018 Community Partner of the Year from Connect Explore Achieve with Career Readiness, and the 2017 Special Project Award from the Michigan Association of Continuing Education & Training for ESL/CNC Precision Machining Pilot Program. She also received the GRCC Employee Excellence Award in 2010.
Parks earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and history from Michigan State University and a master’s degree from Central Michigan University in Education, focusing on training and development.
Kristi Haik, Ph.D., Dean at GRCC: Kristi Haik holds a Ph.D. in Applied Experimental Psychology with a Neuroscience Concentration from Central Michigan University. In 2005, she became a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Northern Kentucky University (NKU), where she later became Professor and Chair of the Department. She also served as Director of the Center for Integrative Natural Science & Mathematics (CINSAM), NKU’s STEM Center. In 2016, she served as Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Ferris State University. In 2020, she served as the Sr. Director of Fund Development at the Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore, headquartered in Grand Rapids, where she increased fundraising by 75% during her tenure.
She has presented invited talks and research on over 100 different occasions, including national and international events such as the Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting and the Academic Chairpersons Conference. She is the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles in Experimental Neurology, Journal of Nanomaterials, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, The Department Chair, and book chapters. She has received over $6.6 million in grant funding from agencies, including the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health. She has fundraised nearly $5 million for STEM programs, academic departments, and low-income and underrepresented students.
Dr. Haik co-created Project SOAR (Scholarships Opportunities Achievement & Results) in 2008, which aims to recruit, retain, educate, and graduate first- generation, low-income, and underrepresented students in STEM. Three rounds of Project SOAR have been funded by the NSF, including the $2.3 million grant SOAR-Three, which includes three universities. The outcomes of SOAR and SOAR-Three have benefited thousands of students. Dr. Haik strives to provide access and opportunity for those in college or our community who do not have it..