Marco Tedesco, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University
Dr. Marco Tedesco is a Lamont Research Professor at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, with affiliations in data science, economics, and business. His research focuses on snow, ice, climate change, and its economic and justice implications. He has led over 15 expeditions to Greenland and Antarctica, among other locations. Dr. Tedesco serves on the NYC Panel on Climate Change and represents Lamont-Doherty on Columbia’s AI Cross Working Group. He edited Remote Sensing of the Cryosphere (Wiley, 2015) and authored The Hidden Life of Ice (2018), translated into seven languages and named a best book of the year by the Washington Post and National Geographic Traveler.
Kathleen O’Brien, Advisory Visual Designer at IBM
Kathleen is a product designer who creates experiences that balance business impact with human needs. In IBM’s CIO office, she’s integrating AI into employee tools and workflows to boost productivity and satisfaction. She thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution — partnering with stakeholders and development teams to ship solutions that actually work for users.
Evie T. Joselow, Art Market Studies, Fashion Institute of Technology
Evie T. Joselow, PhD is a New York-based art historian, educator, and fine art appraiser with extensive experience across both profit and nonprofit sectors, including affiliations with notable collections, institutions, and academic programs. Her expertise spans art history, art markets, provenance research, and appraisal practices, contributing to teaching, lecturing, global conference participation, and publications on architecture and design history. Her current research focuses on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in reshaping art historical scholarship and the art market. Dr. Joselow is the Director of The Art of the Appraisal, specializing in twentieth-century fine art valuation, and serves as an Associate Adjunct Professor in the Art Market Studies graduate program at FIT, SUNY. She holds a PhD from the CUNY Graduate Center, an MPA from Baruch College, and a BA from Vassar College.
Melis Kural, Teaching and Creativity Center, Monroe Community College
Dr. Melis Kural is a sociologist and educational developer serving as Coordinator of the Teaching and Creativity Center at Monroe Community College. She holds a PhD in Sociology and taught urban sociology and regional development. Her teaching philosophy is to meet students and faculty where they are, learning together collaboratively and inclusively.
Katie Ghidiu, Library, Monroe Community College
Dr. Katie Ghidiu is the Library Director at Monroe Community College, where she leads efforts to integrate AI into library services and supports faculty and students in navigating emerging technologies responsibly. She holds an EdD in Higher Education Administration from the University of Rochester and believes libraries have a vital role in our collective AI future.
Katie Temrowski, Technical Product Manager, JPMorgan Chase
Katie Temrowski is a Technical Product Manager and creative technologist bridging software, design, and human experience. Currently at JPMorgan Chase, she builds state-of-the-art digital products for high-end card clientele. Previously, she led the product vision for the New York Mets’ internal baseball software — a platform designed to unite the organization around shared metrics and data-driven strategy to drive deep playoff runs. Throughout her career, she has leveraged AI and emerging technologies to improve the human experience across iconic civic institutions. She is also a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute, teaching Extended Reality UX, and holds an MPS from NYU’s ITP program and a BA from the University of Michigan.
Zhaoyang Zhang, Yale Computer Graphics Group, Yale University
Zhaoyang Zhang, is a 4th year Ph.D. student at Yale University advised by Prof. Julie Dorsey. He is affiliated with the Yale Computer Graphics Group. His research specializes in generative models for computer graphics, with a focus on developing geometrically consistent methods for digital content creation, spanning 3D scenes, videos, and beyond.
Calvin Williamson, Science and Math, Fashion Institute of Technology
Calvin Williamson is a Professor in the Science and Mathematics Department at FIT. He has a Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Michigan and teaches mathematics, statistics, machine learning, and programming. He has also worked as a software engineer specializing in computer graphics and film production software for special effects companies like Rhythm and Hues Studios in Los Angeles.