NJIT was among several New Jersey institutions to participate in the recent NJ AI Hub Statewide Higher Education AI Showcase on June 17, 2026. The event convened leaders from higher education, government, industry, and nonprofit organizations to explore how New Jersey will lead in building a more AI-ready future statewide and nationally.
The June 17 event was attended by state government leadership, including Governor Mikie Sherrill, who outlined “the importance of bringing together educators, employers and community colleges across the state to expand access to AI education and hands-on learning opportunities, while strengthening the talent pipeline that will power our state’s economy for years to come.”
The event also featured a discussion on how higher education is meeting the AI moment, with insights shared by Jamie Payton, dean of the Ying Wu College of Computing at NJIT; Nidhal Bouaynaya, associate vice chancellor for artificial intelligence at Rowan University; Aaron Fichter, president of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges; and Michael Zwick, senior vice president for research at Rutgers University. The panel provided an opportunity to share the institutional strategy, structures, and progress to advance research, education, and workforce development for the future of AI.
The showcase day, furthermore, highlighted progress within the NJ AI Faculty Futures AI Studio, a cross-institutional initiative through the NJ AI Hub designed to empower higher education leaders throughout New Jersey to aid in transforming the future of AI-infused teaching, learning and academic integrity at the state’s four-year colleges and universities. Payton, along with Oya Tukel, dean of the Martin Tuchman School of Management at NJIT, were part of the inaugural cohort of faculty fellows with the Faculty Futures AI Studio, creating modules for AI learning that could be adapted by colleges and universities, with a particular goal of promoting smooth transitions from community colleges to four-year institutions through transfer credits.
Payton’s role centered upon creating curriculum resources to build capacity to teach technical AI courses throughout higher education in alignment with national standards set forth by the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
“We have experienced enormous growth in just over two years in AI research and education, with courses, programs, and faculty that are well-positioned to equip all NJIT students – regardless of major – with the knowledge and skills that are critical to navigating the rapid advances in AI on a global level,” said Payton.
“[YWCC] is the nexus for AI at NJIT. We as a university are honored and excited to partner with the NJ AI Hub as a leader in strengthening AI education throughout the state.”
Explore Artificial Intelligence in the Ying Wu College of Computing
Education:
- B.S. in Enterprise AI
- Artificial Intelligence Minor (for computer science (CS) & data science (DS) Majors)
- Artificial Intelligence Minor (for non-CS and non-DS majors)
- M.S. in Artificial Intelligence
Research:
- Center for AI Research
- AI + X – The interdisciplinary application of AI to a diverse array of fields. (2025 Research Report)
- Applied AI (2023 Research Report)
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