Overview

October 15
10AM PT, 1PM ET

Register

Your institution may be ready to experiment with AI. But is your infrastructure ready for what comes next?

As colleges and universities pursue AI for research, student services and campus operations, promising use cases can quickly expose a harder problem: critical data scattered across departments, aging infrastructure, inconsistent access rules and no clear picture of what should run on campus versus in the cloud.

Join the Center for Digital Education for a practical conversation about getting the campus foundation ready for AI without trying to overhaul everything at once. We’ll explore how a readiness assessment can uncover gaps in systems, data, security and service criticality — then help IT leaders decide what deserves attention first. You’ll also learn how to weigh hybrid cloud options based on workload demands, data sensitivity, cost and operational control.

Why attend:

  • Find the gaps that could stall AI initiatives.
  • Make smarter workload decisions across cloud and campus infrastructure.
  • Build the funding case with measurable outcomes.

Attend the live webinar to obtain your complimentary certificate of attendance!

Speakers

Shane Gibson headshot

Shane Gibson

Technical Sales Expert, Hitachi

Shane Gibson is a Technical Expert and Enterprise Architect with 30 years of experience in IT, including 16 years at Hitachi Vantara. He specializes in large enterprise data centers, AI, virtualization and hybrid cloud environments. Based in Palm Bay, Florida, Shane enjoys modifying cars, 3D printing, physics and space exploration.

Bill Rials headshot

Bill Rials — Moderator

Senior Fellow, Center for Digital Education

William (Bill) Rials, Ph.D., is an Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Senior Professor of Practice at Tulane University where he oversees academic programs in information technology, cybersecurity, emerging technologies, and other applied fields. He leads strategic curriculum development, assessment, new program design, and faculty governance with a focus on preparing adult learners for rapidly evolving digital and AI-driven careers.

Beyond higher education, Dr. Rials is recognized nationally as a leading voice at the intersection of government, technology, and education. He serves as a Senior Fellow with both the Center for Digital Government and Education and the Center for Public Sector AI, where he provides strategic insights on innovation, workforce transformation, and the responsible use of emerging technologies. A frequent keynote speaker, panelist, and moderator, he engages national audiences on topics ranging from AI adoption and cybersecurity resilience to digital transformation in state and local government. His expertise is regularly featured in national media outlets and industry publications, and he contributes scholarship, commentary, and research in both academic journals and practitioner platforms.

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