As part of Research and Technology Week, Sahand University of Technology organized a specialized and educational seminar titled “Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Productivity and Creativity in Education and Research”. The event took place on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the university’s Martyrs of Service Hall, attended by faculty members and distinguished scholars.

The seminar featured a keynote speech by Ebrahim Molaei, a researcher and educator in the field of generative AI, who explored innovative ways to utilize AI in education and research. Molaei highlighted the transformative impact of AI tools, particularly ChatGPT, on academic and professional processes. Key topics covered in the seminar included prompt engineering, facilitating research, drafting academic papers, and designing curricula.

Focus on Practical Applications of ChatGPT

At the beginning of the seminar, Molaei introduced ChatGPT as an AI-powered language model capable of supporting various tasks such as content creation, answering queries, brainstorming, translation, and drafting research proposals. He also discussed how to use the tool effectively and addressed ethical and safety considerations, including the need for human oversight and the importance of verifying AI-generated outputs.

Prompt Engineering and Professional Utilization

A key component of the seminar was the training session on prompt engineering. Molaei emphasized that the quality of ChatGPT’s outputs heavily depends on the clarity and precision of input prompts. He presented practical examples of prompt design and encouraged participants to create diverse prompts tailored to real-world scenarios.

Broad Applications of AI in Education and Research

Molaei then elaborated on the practical applications of ChatGPT in the daily activities of faculty members. These included drafting formal emails, preparing reports, analyzing data, and planning lessons. He also discussed the tool’s role in supporting the writing of academic papers, generating research ideas, and translating specialized texts. Through hands-on exercises, Molaei demonstrated how ChatGPT can serve as an intelligent assistant to enhance productivity and efficiency for academic professionals.

Positive Reception from Participants

The seminar was met with an enthusiastic response from Sahand University faculty members. Participants shared positive feedback on the potential of AI to improve teaching quality and streamline research efforts. The event was regarded as one of the most successful programs of the university’s Research and Technology Week, significantly contributing to increasing awareness and empowering faculty members to harness AI in their academic endeavors.