Demystifying AI: The College of Engineering and Architecture’s AI Tinkery Series Advances Practical AI Fluency

Source Domain: thedig.howard.edu

At a time when artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we learn, work, and communicate, the Howard University College of Engineering and Architecture (CEA) is advancing a campus-wide effort to ensure students, faculty, and staff are not only aware of these technologies, but are also empowered to use them thoughtfully and effectively.

Through the CEA AI Tinkery workshop series, Ph.D. candidate and AIM-AHEAD instructor Howard Prioleau is leading a hands-on initiative designed to build AI literacy from the ground up—bridging technical depth with practical application.

“At Howard, we are committed to ensuring that artificial intelligence is engaged across our entire campus in ways that are responsible, informed, and purposeful,” said Talitha Washington, Ph.D., executive director of Howard’s Center for Applied Data Science and Analytics and co-chair of the Howard University President’s AI Advisory Council. “I am grateful to CEA for bringing the AI Tinkery series to the Howard community and for making AI more accessible, practical, and impactful for our students, faculty, and staff.”

As he works to earn his doctorate in computer science with a specialty in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing, Prioleau brings both research expertise and a passion for teaching to the series. His research work focuses on large language models, including their interpretability, reliability, and design — research that aims to make AI systems more trustworthy and aligned with human needs. This same philosophy underpins the AI Tinkery series: an emphasis on clarity, engagement, and responsible use of emerging technologies.

The idea for the series originated with computer science professor and member of the Howard University President’s AI Advisory Council Legand L. Burge, Ph.D., with a goal of strengthening AI understanding across campus. Recognizing that conversations around artificial intelligence often outpace…

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