‘Human Dimensions of AI’ topic of KU Self Graduate Fellowship 2026 Symposium Lecture

LAWRENCE — Poppy Crum, a leader and innovator at the forefront of artificial intelligence, machine learning and human-computer interaction, will present the KU Self Graduate Fellowship 2026 Symposium Lecture at the University of Kansas.

Crum's talk, “Human Dimensions of AI: Balancing Innovations and Humanity in a Digital Era,” will take place at 3:30 p.m. April 24 in the Kansas Union Big 12 Room. Her in-person talk is free and open to the public.

As the chief scientist at Dolby Laboratories for over a decade, Crum pioneered technologies that leveraged human physiology to enhance digital experiences. Later, as CTO of Trimble Inc., she developed solutions connecting the physical and digital worlds. Now, Crum is the founder of Goby Technologies, a consultancy for product and platform innovation with clients like Google and Universal Music Group. She also also serves as managing director at the venture fund Giant Step Capital, investing in space and deep tech innovations with the potential to transform entire industries. 

Crum holds numerous patents, chairs global technology standards committees and has collaborated with organizations such as DARPA and the Consumer Technology Association. A recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including the 2021 Hedy Lamarr Award for Innovation in Entertainment and Technology and the 2018 Lumiere Technology Leadership Award, she has been recognized as one of Billboard magazine’s 100 most influential female executives in the music industry.

Self Graduate Fellowships

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, 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 $275,000 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.