Join us for a workshop with Goldberry Long (Creative Writing, UCR) on practical uses for AI.

Faculty at UCR juggle teaching, research, and service—each demanding different cognitive resources. In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore how ChatGPT can help streamline cognitively undemanding but time-consuming tasks, freeing up more time and mental space for the higher-order thinking that our roles require. Participants are invited to bring real items from their to-do lists—whether related to research, committee work, or teaching prep—and experiment with using AI to tackle them. Along the way, we’ll each consider our personal boundaries: What feels like a helpful shortcut or useful tool, and what feels like crossing an ethical line? Rather than debating the ethics of AI in the abstract, we’ll reflect on acceptable use through practical experience, carving out our own informed and principled paths forward.

Limited to 20 UCR Faculty. Lunch will be provided. Registration required.

Sponsored by the Being Human Initiative at the Center for Ideas & Society

If you would like to attend the workshop, please contact Katharine Henshaw, katharine.henshaw@ucr.edu. 

How to Prepare for the Workshop

This is a hands-on session—come ready to experiment. To get the most out of it, please bring:

• A Short To-Do List or Set of Real Tasks

Think of things you’re currently working on (or avoiding), especially tasks that feel time-consuming, repetitive, or cognitively draining. These might include teaching, research, or service-related tasks. Anything that you would ask a colleague or assistant for help with is probably something ChatGPT can help with.

• Any Existing Materials You’ve Already Started

Bring drafts, outlines, rubrics, memos, assignment prompts, abstracts, or even messy notes. These examples help train ChatGPT to match your tone, structure, and goals—and can often be revised or repurposed on the spot.

• An Open Mind About What Counts as a “Writing Task”

AI can help with far more than just formal writing. If it’s on your computer screen or in your inbox, ChatGPT can probably assist.