Harvey Mudd College

AI Experimentation Lab

A lab focused on teaching, creativity, criticality, and societal impact with AI. Reimagining what world-class undergraduate education looks like in the age of Generative AI.

AI
4
Core Aims
7+
Key Activities
7C
Consortium Partners
2026
Seed Conference
The Opportunity

The invention of photography transformed art, culture, science, and society in ways no one could have imagined. 185 years later with Generative AI, we are at a similar inflection point—one that requires not just revision, but completely new thinking.

Cultivating Innovation for World-Class Education

The AXL will cultivate, support, and disseminate the faculty, staff, and student innovations needed to achieve HMC's promise of world-class undergraduate education in the age of GenAI.

01

(Re)Imagining Higher Education

GenAI tools provide both challenges and opportunities in education. HMC is well-situated to lead discussions of what we teach, why we teach it, and how we teach and assess it.

02

Communities of Practice

Bringing together participants across constituencies—faculty, students, staff—and across campuses to support novel work related to teaching about, with, and in the presence of GenAI.

03

Inspiring Creativity

Providing access to cutting-edge GenAI tools and supporting collaborative experimentation to keep HMC current in a rapidly changing space and lead by example.

04

Showcasing Leadership

Positioning HMC as a leader in envisioning a future with GenAI that carefully considers societal and environmental impacts, raising our profile nationally and internationally.

A Comprehensive Program

Advancing GenAI education, research, and critical discourse across disciplines.

🎓

HSA-STEM Grants

Interdisciplinary modules examining ethical, cultural, environmental, and societal implications of GenAI.

💡

Innovative Teaching

Training and grants to support groundbreaking approaches to teaching with and about GenAI.

🤝

Learning Communities

Communities of practice welcoming faculty, staff, and students from the 7Cs and beyond.

🎤

Speakers & Discussions

Invited speakers and book clubs held online to attract national and international audiences.

📚

Teaching Repository

A comprehensive repository of AI-aware teaching materials for all disciplines.

🔬

Research & Creation

Support for prototypes, artworks, and physical objects engaging AI tools and critical inquiry.

(Re)Imagining Liberal Arts & STEM Education in the Age of AI

A 2-day conference paired with pre-conference grants and communities of practice for faculty. This event will serve as proof of concept for how the AXL would benefit the HMC community.

📅
Date
May 2026
📍
Location
HMC Campus

Conference Aims

  • Educate faculty on GenAI technologies, advancements, and environmental impacts
  • Engage in thoughtful discussion of intention and intentionality in GenAI use
  • Share examples of engaging students with GenAI in courses
  • Foster student-faculty collaboration on academic honesty
  • Bring in world-class experts on societal impact and sustainable AI
  • Support participants in developing modules for their own courses

Our Team

JB

Josh Brake

Engineering

KF

Ken Fandell

Art

NL

Nancy Lape

Engineering

JM

Julie Medero

Computer Science

Join the Conversation

Be part of shaping the future of education in the age of AI. Connect with us to learn more about the AI Experimentation Lab.

Get Involved