Adult Education
Exploring AI & STEM
Day 1:
Human-Centered AI in Schools with Eric Hudson
Monday, June 9
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Day 2:
Empowering the Next Generation of Women in STEM and STEM Activities in Your Classroom
Tuesday, June 10
8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
All sessions will be held at the Upper School, located at:
4915 Garth Rd SE
Huntsville, AL 35802
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Overview
Join us for Randolph School's second annual Summer Institute for Teaching and Learning, with a focus on exploring AI & STEM, on June 9 & 10.
On the first day, Eric Hudson will lead workshops and discussions on human-centered AI in schools. On the second day, we’ll dive into STEM activities in the classroom, featuring a panel of experts from the medical, research, and energy sectors. Together, they’ll help inspire and empower the next generation of women in STEM.
This event will provide valuable content for teachers and parents with children at all school levels. We hope you can join us!
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Featured Speakers
Dr. Aruna Thotakura Arora
Huntsville native Dr. Aruna Thotakura Arora graduated from Birmingham Southern College and the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical School. She completed her residency and chief residency in neurology at UAB before becoming a Fellow in Clinical Neurophysiology.
A diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, she is a member of the Northeast ALS consortium and American Academy of Neurology, as well as a founding member of the Society of Women in Medicine. She is the 2018 recipient of the Eric S. Obermann Humanitarian Award for her work in ALS and recently inducted as the president of the Medical Association of Alabama ( MASA). She has been a board member of the Madison County Medical Society since 2017 and currently serves as president. She also serves on the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. She is the Co-Medical Director of the ALS Clinic as well. Both she and her husband, Dr. Amit Arora, are the founding doctors of Neurology Consultants of Huntsville.
Sara Cooper, Ph.D.
Sara Cooper, Ph.D., joined HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in 2010 leading a research group devoted to using genomic technologies to understand inherited cancer risk and cancer progression.
She completed undergraduate work in genetics at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, received her PhD in genetics from Stanford University in 2006, and completed her postdoctoral work at the University of Washington in Seattle in 2010.
Cooper also leads the Institute’s Information is Power community outreach effort and currently co-leads multiple NSF-funded initiatives supporting educational experiences for the next generation of scientists.
Eric Hudson
Eric Hudson is a facilitator and strategic advisor who supports schools in making sense of what’s changing in education and in being responsive to the people they serve. He has spent his career in education, and he uses his design sense to put the learner at the heart of every experience.
Most recently, Eric spent a decade at Global Online Academy (GOA), first as an instructional coach and ultimately as Chief Program Officer, working with schools around the world to rethink where, when, and how we learn. Prior to GOA, he was a teacher at the middle, high school, and college levels. The classroom is where he developed his passion for learner-centered design and facilitation. He currently serves on the board of the Association of Technology Leaders in Independent Schools (ATLIS). Eric has a M.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. from Cornell University.
Clarissa McClain
Clarissa McClain, an Atlanta native now based in Huntsville, is a graduate of Auburn University and the South Region Senior Strategic Communicator for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). TVA, the nation's largest public power provider, serves over 1.2 million Alabamians and 10 million people across seven states. TVA powers local utilities and major customers like Redstone Arsenal and NASA.
As a media spokesperson, Clarissa develops clear, accessible communications on topics like nuclear energy, solar power, and prescribed burns. Before joining TVA in 2023, she was the Director of Marketing and Communications at Randolph School, where she led strategic marketing, crisis communication, and brand management, earning four Telly Awards for video content.
With nearly 12 years of experience as a broadcast journalist at WHNT News 19, Clarissa’s work earned recognition from the Alabama Broadcasters Association and an Emmy award. Outside of work, she enjoys family time, traveling, cooking, reading, and learning Spanish.
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Contacts
Jerry Beckman
Assistant Head for Academic Affairs
jbeckman@randolphschool.net
Allyson McCloud
Dean of Faculty
amccloud@randolphschool.net
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FAQs
1. Will I be provided with a certificate of professional development hours completed?
Yes, we will provide a certificate denoting the number of active hours completed.
2. I’m coming from out of town, are there any hotels you would recommend?
Hotels in the downtown or South Huntsville area are most convenient to our Garth campus:
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- Homewood Suites Downtown Huntsville – 2.2 miles
- 106 Jefferson (Curio) – 3.0 miles
- Doubletree Suites Huntsville South – 3.7 miles
- Hilton Garden Inn Huntsville South – 3.8 miles