Shyam Sharma Returns for Second Cohort of SUNY AI for the Public Good Fellows

Shyam Sharma, a professor of writing and rhetoric in Stony Brook University's College of Arts and Sciences, is one of 11 members of the second cohort of the State University of New York (SUNY) AI for the Public Good Fellows.

Sharma was among the 20 SUNY faculty and staff honored as part of the inaugural class last year. SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced the second cohort on September 15.

The 11 faculty and staff fellows are all experts in their fields of study - ranging from nursing to the humanities to computer science - and are committed to helping their peers responsibly incorporate AI into the student experience.

"SUNY is proud to be at the forefront of harnessing AI for the public good, and working to ensure our students are equipped to responsibly utilize artificial intelligence in all fields of study," King said. "As AI continues to evolve, it is vital our students understand how to use the technology ethically both in their studies, and beyond the classroom. I applaud all of our dedicated faculty and staff members for their work to advance SUNY's AI excellence."

Sharma is a scholar and teacher of writing and rhetoric who studies academic writing and communication at the intersection of the arts and sciences. His books include: Writing Support for International Graduate Students, Rethinking Education Across Borders, and Making Learning Happen. He has written about how U.S. universities are facilitating the academic transition and success of international graduate students. A former lecturer at the Tribhuvan University of Nepal, he is also an expert on higher education issues about Nepal and South Asia.

Beginning in fall 2026, SUNY's general education framework has been updated to incorporate AI in the information literacy skills expected of all undergraduate students. In addition, SUNY recently launched a new initiative initially seeking 100 faculty members to participate in a systemwide community of practice that will support faculty to integrate discipline-specific AI-enabled skills in course-level student learning outcomes - which will be supported by the Fellows program.

The inaugural cohort of SUNY AI for the Public Good Fellows, announced in September 2025, provided support for faculty and staff working to incorporate AI literacy into their courses and learning activities. The inaugural cohort assisted campuses in working toward implementation of the Fall 2026 AI literacy update to the existing information literacy core competency in the SUNY general education curriculum.

The second cohort of SUNY AI for the Public Good Fellows will build on the work of the first cohort of fellows to provide professional development resources and opportunities for the incorporation of the effective and ethical use of AI in teaching and learning. For this year, the focus will be on offering support across the system for the discipline-specific exploration and integration of artificial intelligence. This focus acknowledges and responds to the ways artificial intelligence has shaped and continues to shape almost every discipline. The AI for the Public Good Fellows will help SUNY campuses in meeting this challenge.

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "SUNY's AI for the Public Good Fellows serve as a vital resource for our campuses, and students as they work to incorporate AI responsibly and ethically into their studies and courses. We commend this year's fellows and thank Governor Hochul for her continued investment and support in advancing New York State's, and SUNY's AI leadership."