AI industry expert Noelle Russell will give Self Graduate Fellowship Symposium Lecture

LAWRENCE — Noelle Russell, an award-winning expert on how to create a world where artificial intelligence and humans coexist harmoniously, will deliver the Self Graduate Fellowship Symposium Lecture next month at the University of Kansas.

Russell has focused her career on guiding organizations toward the possibilities artificial intelligence presents to their businesses and helping them navigate AI adoption.

Russell will present “Scaling Responsible AI: From Enthusiasm to Execution” at 3:30 p.m. April 25 in the Big 12 Room of the Kansas Union. The event is free and open to the public.

Russell advises companies across industries on how to integrate emerging technologies — including AI, Web3 and the cloud — into their operations and workplace strategies. She is an award-winning technologist who has led tech teams at Accenture, NPR, Microsoft, IBM, AW and Amazon Alexa.

Russell has received the Microsoft Most Valuable Professional award for artificial intelligence and VentureBeat’s Women in AI Responsibility and Ethics award. In 2023, she was named one of DCA Live’s “New Power Women of DC Tech” and one of the Association of Latino Professionals for America’s “Latinas to Watch.”

Russell also is the founder and chief AI officer at AI Leadership Institute, which offers advisory services and workshops on generative AI strategy, AI-ready cultures and responsible AI practices within organizations.

The Self Graduate Fellowship Symposium Lecture is sponsored by the Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship. The mission of the Self Graduate Fellowship is to identify, recruit and provide development opportunities for exceptional doctoral students in business, economics, engineering, mathematics, and biological, biomedical, pharmaceutical and physical sciences who demonstrate the promise to make significant contributions to their fields of study and society as a whole.

The Self Graduate Fellowship is a unique opportunity for doctoral students at KU to fund their education and acquire valuable leadership training for their future careers. Throughout their four years as a fellow, students receive funding that covers their tuition, fees and graduate research assistantship appointment, as well as funding to pursue independent professional development opportunities – an award valued at $225,000 per student. To prepare students for their future leadership roles, fellows attend professional development workshops, communication coaching and guest lectures.

The late Madison and Lila Self launched and permanently endowed the Self Graduate Fellowship in 1989. The creation of the Self Graduate Fellowship was motivated by Madison and Lila’s belief in the vital importance of developing leadership for tomorrow. They are KU’s most generous private donors to date.