National conference celebrates interdisciplinary collaborations and research

As an interdisciplinary artist and researcher, Carlos Castellanos is encouraging the arts community to play a core role in developing artificial intelligence (AI).

“Right now, AI systems are simply not built to have reciprocal interplay with their environments and thus they demonstrate little interest in emergence, adaptation, or developing mutually productive relationships with the natural world,” said Castellanos, an assistant professor in RIT’s School of Interactive Games and Media. “I wanted to present at a2ru to challenge prevailing AI ontologies and introduce arts-based models of ecological AI.”

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Elizabeth Lamark

Lillian-Yvonne Bertram, from the University of Maryland, speaks about the creativity and limits of large language models at the a2ru panel “Highlighting Those Making Steps Towards Change.”

Castellanos was joined by over 170 other higher education professionals from across the country at the 2024 a2ru National Conference, which was hosted by RIT in the Student Hall for Exploration and Development (SHED) Nov. 14-16. The conference’s theme, “Generate | Integrate: Technology, the Arts & Design,” encouraged attendees to celebrate and explore the role of technology within the arts and design fields.

RIT President David Munson helped kick off the event with a welcome address, stating that the conference was well timed amidst “seismic shifts” that affect education, research, and the creative practice of craft.

“As the arts and higher education wrestle with the rapid emergence of AI, human-machine interaction, and immersive technologies ranging from virtual reality to extended reality, we prompt you to take a more holistic and serious look at these issues to chart a collective way forward,” said Munson.

The a2ru national conference is an opportunity for practitioners and researchers from across higher education to share innovations and perspectives in the arts. The organization advances the full range of arts- and design-integrative research, curricula, programs, and creative practice to acknowledge, articulate, and expand the vital role of higher education in our global society. In partnership with an international network of leading higher education institutions, allies, and partners, a2ru envisions a world in which universities—students, faculty, and leaders—explore, embed, and integrate the arts in everyday practice and research.

“Each year, a2ru brings together a dynamic, international group of creative thinkers, innovators, and makers who bridge the arts with other disciplines. At their home institution, they may feel like they are one of only a few doing this challenging work but, at our conference, they find a community of like-minded individuals,” said Maryrose Flannigan, executive director of a2ru. “Over the course of three days, our members formed new research partnerships, brainstormed collaborative projects, and gathered inspiration for new programs. Those long-lasting and powerful connections start here.”

Samantha Lazar, curator of academic programming at Dartmouth College’s Hopkins Center for the Arts, said she attends the conference every year. This year, Lazar was gathering inspiration for a new arts integration initiative she’s developing at Dartmouth.

“At my college, we are striving to fundamentally blend the arts with other disciplines and make them a core part of every student’s education, not just an add-on,” said Lazar. “Arts integration expands ways of thinking and creates new avenues for creativity and innovation—it can really nourish the creative side of you.”

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Elizabeth Lamark

Kelly Hurlburt, a senior staff designer at Adobe and 2017 RIT alumna, gave a keynote talk on empowering users to stay creative and in control of AI.

RIT alumna Kelly Hurlburt ’17 (new media design) gave one of two keynote presentations during the conference. Hurlburt works as a senior staff designer at Adobe and was the lead designer of Firefly, Adobe’s generative AI model. During her keynote, she shared her own insights about the intersection of technology and design.

“The best innovations come from a deep empathy with the people we’re building for. We want to push creative tools forward, and we recognize the unique role each discipline has to play in this shared goal,” said Hurlburt.

Hurlburt also shared reflections on AI’s evolution in the creative industry so far, drawing from both her personal experience and professional observations. She offered new perspectives on the topic of “tech inevitability,” and underscored the importance of starting from real user needs when developing new technologies.

She added, “I hope skeptical creatives walk away feeling more excited about generative AI. But, more importantly, I hope technology builders will recognize their agency. Innovation isn’t some mystical, uncontrollable force. Innovation is shaped by our choices, both individually and collectively. We have the power to design experiences that solve meaningful problems and empower the people who use our tools.”