Data Science + AI Summit

Data Science + AI Summit

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026

at Graduate East Lansing Hotel
133 Evergreen Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823

Researchers, Innovators, and Partners:

From Hype to Proof – Agentic AI in Practice

Join us to examine what agentic AI is actually delivering, for whom, and at what cost. Sessions span AI’s measurable returns in industry, Michigan’s leadership in autonomous systems, and the governance questions that come with AI making consequential decisions.

Featuring a keynote, panels, a fireside, live research and startup demos, and facilitated conversations designed to spark intentional partnerships.

Who should attend: Researchers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, students and early-career professionals.

Registration, breakfast, and Applied AI Showcase opens

Welcome
David Washburn, CEO, MSU Research Foundation

Keynote

Nurtekin Savas | Head of Global Risk Infrastructure, Platforms, Data and AI, PayPal

Panel

Cal Coplai | Senior Tech Manager, NVIDIA
Tom Munley |
CEO, Analytics8
Anjana Susarla |
Omura-Saxena Professor in Responsible AI, MSU Broad College
Soma Venkat |
Senior VP, Chief Information Technology Officer, Cooper Standard

Guided Conversations

Facilitated by:
Tomasz Cwik, Mentor-In-Residence, MSU Research Foundation

Panel

Marcio Oliveira | Vice Provost for Academic Innovation, MSU
Josh Ross | Founder, Scaleable AI

More Speakers TBA

Panel

Talia Marie Sebastian | Research Chemist, U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center

More Speakers TBA

General open networking lunch

Sign up at registration table 

A structured networking lunch where four corporate industry leaders bring real challenges to the table for open discussion

Corner hosts
Paypal
NVIDIA
AlumX |
Sanjay Baskaran
Deloitte | Chris Ahn

Featured Insight

Michael Horrigan | President, W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Guided Conversations

Facilitated by:
Tomasz Cwik, Mentor-In-Residence, MSU Research Foundation

Fireside Chat

Mohammad Ghassemi | Professor/Co-founder, MSU/Ghamut
Sunny Nadolsky | Founder, BridgeCare

Enjoy light refreshments and view the showcase 

Speakers & Advisors

Chris Ahn
Deloitte US

Sanjay Baskaran
AlumX.ai

Callahan Coplai
NVIDIA

Tomasz Cwik
MSU Research Foundation

Mohammad Ghassemi
MSU/Ghamut

Michael Horrigan
W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research

Tom Munley
Analytics8

Sunny Nadolsky
BridgeCare

Marcio Oliveira
MSU

Shashank Priya 
MSU Office of Research and Innovation

Josh Ross
Scaleable AI

Talia Marie Sebastian 
U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center

Nurtekin Savas
PayPal

Anjana Susarla
MSU Broad College

Soma Venkat
Cooper Standard

David Washburn
MSU Research Foundation

Help Create Our Future with Data Science + AI:

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