Who is running this project?
The project is run by a group of librarians at University of Toronto Libraries on St George, Mississauga, and Scarborough campuses, as well as a faculty advisor out of Comp Sci at UTSC with a background in AI and women in STEM.
What is the application deadline?
Applications will be accepted until June 14 2019. Applicants will be notified of their status by June 28, 2019.
What is the timeline for successful applicants?
Phase 1 will run through July to mid-August and Phase 2 will kick off in September and run through February 2020. A graduation celebration will take place in Spring 2020.
What is the time commitment?
Participants will be expected to commit to min. 20 hours of virtual learning during July and August 2019 (Phase 1), plus approximately 20 hours of in-person and online participation over the 2019-2020 academic year (Phase 2). Participants are required to attend a minimum 5 of the 6 in-person conversations throughout Phase 2, and complete reflections and feedback surveys at milestones through the year.
What do you mean by "non-technical experts"?
This pilot is designed for to raise awareness and understanding of AI among people with no educational or work experience or background in computer science, programming or artificial intelligence. People with that experience will likely find this content basic and will not get much out of it.
What do you mean by "current student, staff or faculty"?
Applicants from the University must be enrolled or employed at any U of T campus through the 2019-2020 academic year.
What is meant by "community member"?
Community members are non-technical employees of organizations such as MaRS, CAMH, University Health Network (UHN), Queens Park, the ROM, University of Toronto Schools, Centre for Social Innovation, and others. If you would like to apply as a community member but aren't sure if you qualify, please email aichallenge@library.utoronto.ca.
Can alumni apply?
Alumni who wish to apply under the Community Partner category must make clear in their application their continuing connection to the U of T community. Please note that there are limited number of community spots available. Students must be enrolled at U of T through the 2019-2020 academic year to be eligible.
Why are you asking for my self-identification as a minority and for my age?
The organizers acknowledge and wish to address the underrepresentation of groups such as Black and Indigenous people, women, non-binary people, LGBTQ people, older people, and people with disabilities in STEM disciplines such as AI by explicitly welcoming applications from these groups. We believe diversity is key to any worthwhile discussion of topics which affect us all. To this end, we are partnering with groups on and off campus to actively reach out to these groups. Please note that these questions are optional, and as such you are not required to answer. If you are a member of a campus group affiliated with any of the above communities, please contact us so we can work with you to reach your community.
How is my data being used?
Data from successful applicants will be stored in a password protected file on a U of T server for up to seven years after it is submitted. This is to allow for tracking your progress through the phases of the program during the first 12-18 months, and, potentially afterward for secondary use for research projects with participant consent. That consent will be formally requested by the organizers and can be withdrawn upon request. Students participating in the co-curricular record will have their data (name, student number and email address) shared with the CCR office. Data from any unsuccessful application will be destroyed after cohort selection is complete in June 2019. Data shared with the Elements of AI MOOC is handled according to their privacy policy.
Is there any cost for participating in the project?
No, aside from the time commitment, it is free to participate.
Do I get paid or otherwise receive incentives for participating?
There are no monetary incentives for participation. Participants who complete the challenge will be entered into a draw for some great prizes from U of T startups. Degree-seeking student participants are eligible for co-curricular record credits.
What if I don't have access to internet?
Visitors are welcome to use library computers to complete the online course component. A valid ID is required to create a temporary LIRA account.
How is the project funded?
The project is funded by a small grant from the UTL Chief Librarian’s Innovation fund.
Who designed the online course, Elements of AI?
The course was designed by a Computer Science faculty at the University of Helsinki and a Helsinki consultancy, Reaktor, in Finland, for a similar program in that country that inspired this project. Please see the Elements of AI FAQ for more information.
How can I get in touch with the organizers?
You can email us at aichallenge@library.utoronto.ca.