Date: Friday, 20 March 2026
Venue: Engineering Commons
Speaker: Dr. Sean McMinn, Director of Center for Education Innovation

Schedule:
12:00 pm – Light lunch
12:30 pm – Talk Presentation
13:00 pm onwards - Sharing and discussion

Abstract:  
Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly embedded in engineering education, shaping how problems are explained, solutions are generated, feedback is produced, and academic judgement is exercised. While many staff development initiatives focus on tool use, academic integrity, or policy compliance, these approaches often overlook how everyday interactions with AI subtly reconfigure cognition, agency, and professional judgement. This session introduces a risk  and empowerment informed approach to faculty AI literacy, reframing AI use in teaching and learning as a cognitive risk management challenge rather than a purely technical one. Drawing on Tri System Theory, socio technical perspectives on technology as practice, and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, the session examines how routine AI interactions, such as summarisation, explanation, feedback generation, and code drafting, can function as cognitive risk events, influencing when and how human judgement is offloaded, surrendered, or preserved. The session presents a five literacy framework for faculty AI capability, encompassing system perception awareness, ethical and purpose aligned use, evaluation of AI outputs and cognitive routes, human centred pedagogy and agency, and domain specific governance. Using engineering relevant teaching and assessment scenarios, participants will explore practical strategies for engaging with AI critically and responsibly, supporting innovation while preserving learning quality, professional judgement, and human agency.
 
Bio:
Sean McMinn is the Director of the Center for Education Innovation and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Division of Emerging Interdisciplinary Areas at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). His role includes leading the development of digital education, including AI for education initiatives, at the university. Sean also currently sits on multiple international committees, including the AI and Education International Panel, Digital Education Council, and the Cyber-Physical Learning Alliance. He has won various awards for his work in digital education, including the 2024 Global MOOC and Online Education Alliance (GMA) Award for his work in AI Education, the 2016 School of Humanities and Social Science (SHSS) Teaching Excellence Award, and the 2007 Teaching Innovation Award for his work with podcasts and education at HKUST.