As the Philadelphia region’s only partner in the National AI Campus network, the university joins a cross-disciplinary effort to advance AI literacy, responsible innovation, and workforce development in South Jersey and beyond.
On February 18, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Campus Center to celebrate the university’s launch of the Rutgers–Camden AI Campus, a new initiative designed to position the campus as a regional hub for applied artificial intelligence (AI) learning. The effort reflects Rutgers–Camden’s commitment to shaping one of the most transformative fields of the 21st century.
“The Rutgers–Camden AI Campus is a place to build AI literacy, ask foundational questions, and explore tools that enhance teaching, learning, and scholarship,” said Chancellor Antonio D. Tillis to more than 150 attendees. “As AI continues to accelerate, this initiative ensures our community moves forward thoughtfully and confidently.”
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Xiuzhen Huang at Arkansas State University, the National AI Campus is a collaborative, project-based learning network that brings together students, educators, and professionals to explore and apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to real-world challenges. With more than 81 partner institutions across 31 states, Rutgers–Camden is the only partner in the Philadelphia area.
Thomas Risch, vice chancellor for research at Rutgers–Camden, noted that the invitation to partner with the National AI Campus comes at an important time in the development of this groundbreaking technology.
“AI is rapidly transforming research, education, industry, and public policy,” Risch said. “This initiativepositions Rutgers–Camden to prepare the next generation of professionals while fostering a culture of AI fluency, collaboration, and responsible innovation across the region.”
The launch featured a lineup of distinguished speakers, beginning with Ryan Urbanowicz, executive director of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s AI Campus, one of the National AI Campus’s locations, who shared the initiative’s history and vision. Iman Dehzangi, assistant professor of computer science at Rutgers–Camden, highlighted how interdisciplinary collaboration is driving breakthroughs in health research, and Marie Pryor, of NJ AI Hub and Microsoft’s TechSpark Initiative, explained how the partnership strengthens New Jersey’s broader AI ecosystem.
The event concluded with an appeal from Ojobo Agbo Eje, senior program coordinator for the Rutgers–Camden AI Campus, to become and stay engaged with the initiative.
“The AI Campus is designed for everyone,” Eje said. “Students, faculty, and staff from technical and non-technical backgrounds are welcome. The goal is to learn collaboratively and apply AI in meaningful ways.”
The initiative will initially feature two core components: AI Campus Cohorts—small interdisciplinary teamsworking on real-world projects with faculty support—and a monthly “AI Conversations” series, offering talks and hands-on sessions on topics like AI literacy, prompt engineering, ethical AI, and societal impacts of emerging technologies.
Looking ahead, the Rutgers–Camden AI Campus plans to expand its cohorts, grow community-focused projects, and forge partnerships beyond campus. “AI literacy is no longer optional in today’s workforce and research landscape,” Eje said. “This is a unique opportunity to learn by doing, contribute meaningfully, and engage with peers across disciplines in a safe, collaborative environment.”
