Please join Northwestern University School of Professional Studies (SPS) for a thought leadership panel on AI's impact on the workplace and what employers actually want—beyond the hype.
Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing how organizations operate, make decisions, and develop their workforce. While AI continues to dominate headlines, many students, educators, and professionals are trying to distinguish between the excitement surrounding AI and its practical impact on the workplace.
This event brings together SPS faculty members and industry experts to explore how AI is being adopted across different sectors, the opportunities and challenges organizations are encountering, and the skills employers are seeking in today's job market. The panelists will share real-world experiences, discuss successful and unsuccessful AI implementations, and provide insights into how AI is reshaping careers, business processes, cybersecurity, data analytics, and technology management. Attendees will walk away with actionable advice they can apply in their academic and professional careers.
This event is part of the Northwestern University SPS Thought Leadership Series, a program of online events featuring a wide range of compelling topics and thoughtfully led conversations throughout the 2025-26 academic year.
Date: Thursday, July 30
Time: 1–2 p.m. CT
Location: Online (Zoom)
If you have any questions regarding this event, please email Melanie Galvan at melanie.galvan@northwestern.edu.
Moderator:
Faisal Akkawi, PhD: Faculty Director, MS in Information Systems
Panelists:
Ali Gowani, MS: Faculty, MS in Data Science; Technical Program Manager, Meta
Sunil Kakade, MS: Faculty, MS in Information Systems; System VP of Enterprise Data and AI, CommonSpirit Health
Elena Suarez, MS: Faculty, MS in Information Systems; Director of Cyber Risk Management, McDonald's Corporation
Cost: Free
Melanie Galvan
(312) 503-3946
Email