Program Overview
AI Summer School continues to grow as VALIANT’s flagship educational program focused on making AI more accessible, practical, and impactful across disciplines. Designed to welcome participants from a wide range of backgrounds and experience levels, the program combines approachable foundational content with opportunities for deeper technical exploration through hands-on workshops, lightning talks, and interactive learning experiences. Throughout the week, attendees will hear from leading researchers and practitioners, explore real-world applications of AI across research and industry, and gain exposure to emerging tools, workflows, and ideas shaping the future of translational AI.
New this year, AI Summer School will also feature the NSF NAIRR / THRIVE AI Workshop, introducing participants to emerging national AI research infrastructure resources and collaborative opportunities in secure, scalable AI research. Building on feedback from previous years, the program will also continue its two-track workshop approach, offering both beginner-friendly sessions and more advanced technical content to better support participants across a range of experience levels.
Registration
AI Summer School is open to students, staff, faculty, and researchers across the Vanderbilt AI community, as well as members of the broader Middle Tennessee AI ecosystem, including regional academic institutions, industry affiliates, and community partners. University-affiliated students and individuals 18+ are also welcome to register.
If you are interested in attending, it is strongly recommended that you register in advance as only limited on-site registration will be available during the event.
AI Workshop Track
Returning this year is the AI Workshop Track, an interactive companion experience that transforms the learning environment into a collaborative space for experimentation, coding, and problem-solving. Guided by experienced AI mentors and researchers, participants will have opportunities to engage directly with modern AI tools and workflows through applied activities, live demonstrations, and guided technical exercises designed to reinforce key concepts and encourage exploration at multiple skill levels.
NSF NAIRR: Thrive-TN Workshop (NEW!)
New for 2026, the program will feature a dedicated fifth-day workshop focused on the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) and the Tennessee Health Research and Innovation using Verified AI Ecosystems (THRIVE) initiative, supported by the National Science Foundation. This hands-on experience will introduce participants to national-scale AI cyberinfrastructure and research resources designed to expand access to advanced computing, datasets, and collaborative AI development tools. Attendees will gain practical guidance on how to access and utilize these emerging resources to support research, innovation, and translational AI applications.
Stay tuned for more details!
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