Transforming Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Research through Engineering Education

As artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic systems increasingly shape critical decisions in healthcare, infrastructure, and public services, there is growing urgency to ensure that engineers and computer scientists are trained to approach their work with a sense of responsibility. Through an integrated approach that emphasizes the social and institutional dimensions of engineering practice, this project aims to enable technologists to see responsibility along with technical proficiency as central to their role. The project team will develop modular content, full courses, and adaptable frameworks for responsible AI and robotics education. The project will include a large-scale train-the-trainer initiative to prepare current and future faculty to bring responsible AI and robotics materials into their classrooms. In addition to building curricular resources, the project team will conduct a rigorous evaluation to understand how these interventions shape student learning, research culture, and institutional norms. By supporting curriculum reform and sharing resources broadly, this project offers a scalable model for embedding responsibility into the core of technical education. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.