Engagement Fellows
Exploring how interdisciplinary methods can make AI more accessible, culturally informed, and responsible is the core mission of the University of Richmond’s Center for Liberal Arts and AI (CLAAI). For the 2025–26 academic year, CLAAI welcomes 23 fellows from 10 institutions across the Associated Colleges of the South to engage with the shared theme, “under the hood.” Through guided discussions, lectures, and workshops, this cohort of researchers, students, and educators will collectively peer into the underlying structures of AI, ensuring its development is grounded in critical inquiry and humanistic values.
Katrin Bahr
Assistant Professor of German
Centre College
Sonja Bertucci
Assistant Professor of Film
University of Richmond
Vladimir Chlouba
Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies
University of Richmond
Megan de Linde Leonard
Professor of Economics and Business
Hendrix College
Megan Driscoll
Assistant Professor of Modern and Contemporary Art History
University of Richmond
Josh Fairfield
William Donald Bain Family Professor of Law and Director of Artificial Intelligence Legal Innovation Strategy
Washington and Lee University
Mary Finley-Brook
Professor of Geography
University of Richmond
Chad Fulwider
Professor of History
Centenary College of Louisiana
Julian Hayter
Associate Professor of Leadership Studies
University of Richmond
Fangzhi He
Multilingual Assistant Professor of the Practice (Writing)
Davidson College
Laurie Heyer
John T. Kimbrough Professor of Data Sciences and Associate Dean for Data & Computing
Davidson College
Daniel Hocutt
Adjunct Professor
University of Richmond
Rachel Johnson
Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning and Lecturer in English
Centenary College of Louisiana
Phil Kirlin
Associate Professor of Computer Science
Rhodes College
Lucy Littler
Interim Director, Endeavor Center for Faculty Professional Development
Rollins College
Jared Millson
Associate Professor of Philosophy
Rhodes College
Sybil Prince Nelson
Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Inaugural AI Fellow
Washington and Lee University
Carol Parish
Floyd D. and Elisabeth S. Gottwald Professor of Chemistry
University of Richmond
Celeste Ray
Professor and Chair of Anthropology
Sewanee: The University of the South
Kevin Rodríguez
Assistant Professor of Biology
Sewanee: The University of the South
Stephanie Spera
Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences
University of Richmond
Sami Sweis
Assistant Professor of International Studies
Centre College
Mai Nou Xiong-Gum
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies
Furman University