Librarian Accepted for Google Faculty AI Fellowship

Jonathan M. Torres, business and data services librarian at Dana Library in Newark, was accepted for the Google Higher Ed Faculty AI Fellowship. This highly competitive fellowship program is for university faculty who are incorporating artificial intelligence in teaching, research, and institutional innovation. Working as part of a global community of academic leaders, the fellows learn how to leverage Google technology, network and collaborate, and redesign their curricula to advance responsible AI and improve student outcomes.

Torres’s application was successful in part because of proven expertise in using AI in teaching and research. “Since the emergence of generative AI platforms, I have noticed a significant increase in their use among our students in higher education,” Torres said. “After years of working with generative AI, I realized that many of these platforms are imperfect and that there is a gap in AI literacy among our students and faculty.”

Tools he has developed in response enable students to cross-examine information from generative AI platforms, such as ChatGPT, with other business library databases. He also created a Research Validation Chart (RVC) to help outline and evaluate the credibility of the information and identify any misinformation provided by generative AI platforms. These efforts led to a peer-reviewed study, associated presentations he has delivered in the U.S. and internationally, and widespread recognition for Torres’s contributions to enhancing AI pedagogy practices within higher education.

Amanda Clay Powers, associate university librarian for Rutgers University–Newark, supported Torres’s application. Torres’s strengths, she said, include “an excellent background in data science and bibliometrics, remarkable work using generative models to enhance classroom engagement, an innovative yet practical approach to integrating AI into information literacy instruction, and consistent advocacy for the ethical use of technology in research.”

Through the fellowship, Torres plans to enhance pedagogy in higher education by creating tools that support learning and research. “Most importantly, I aim to be a strong advocate for academic librarians and to bridge the gap between library services, generative AI, and higher education,” he said.