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UNO Faculty Named to Inaugural NSF Fellowship Advancing Access to AI Education Nationwide

Chun-Hua Tsai, Ph.D., is among 25 faculty nationwide chosen to lead effort expanding access to AI learning resources.

  • published: 2026/04/06
  • contact: Yahya Shema - College of Information Science and Technology
  • email: yshema@unomaha.edu
photo of Chun-Hua Tsai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis at UNO's College of Information Science & Technology

Chun-Hua Tsai, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis at UNO's College of Information Science & Technology

Chun-Hua Tsai, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Information Systems and Quantitative Analysis at the University of Nebraska Omaha's (UNO) College of Information Science & Technology (IS&T), has been selected as one of 25 inaugural National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) AI Education Fellows by the Computing Research Association (CRA).

"I am deeply honored to be selected as an inaugural NAIRR AI Education Fellow," said Tsai. "This fellowship is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with a national community of educators committed to expanding equitable access to high-quality AI education."

The fellowship, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), supports faculty champions committed to strengthening undergraduate AI education through the NAIRR Pilot Classroom and the NAIRR Pilot Classroom Expansion AI EDU Research Coordination Network (RCN). The inaugural cohort represents 23 states across the United States, spanning public and private universities, community colleges, and a wide range of higher education settings.

Fellows will pilot and adapt courses utilizing NAIRR Pilot Classroom resources, support faculty nationwide in integrating AI materials into their courses, and help shape the strategic direction of the NAIRR AI EDU RCN.

"These Fellows will serve as ambassadors for AI education across the country, helping faculty and institutions leverage NAIRR resources to strengthen their courses and programs," said Jeff Forbes, Director of Broadening Participation in Computing Initiatives at CRA and lead for the NAIRR AI Education initiative. "By elevating their leadership and connecting them nationally, we're amplifying both their impact and the broader goals of the NAIRR AI Education program."

Tsai is deeply committed to AI education and workforce development — creating AI-focused courses, mentoring K–12, undergraduate, and graduate researchers, and leading initiatives that expand equitable access to hands-on AI learning opportunities across disciplines and communities.

His research lies at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), health informatics, and explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), focusing on the design of transparent, accountable, and human-centered AI systems. He studies how conversational agents, recommender systems, and generative AI can enhance health decision-making, strengthen community resilience, and support public-sector governance.

As an NAIRR AI Education Fellow, Tsai plans to integrate NAIRR resources into his teaching at UNO and support fellow faculty in adopting AI curricula — efforts that position the College of IS&T at the forefront of a national movement to broaden access to high-quality AI education. "I want to help shape the future of AI education," Tsai said, "in ways that are human-centered, inclusive, and impactful."

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