Nicole Yamada, who is earning her Masters of Education in Teaching (MEdT) degree in Elementary Education from the School of Teacher Education (STE), was named an ambassador for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Lab by the Pacific Asian Center for Entrepreneurship (PACE) Leader program at the RISE Center.
“Nicole embodies the spirit of He lāʻau kū hoʻokahi, he lehua no Kaʻala,” said STE Associate Professor Vail Matsumoto and STE Assistant Professor Stacy George. “She came to the MEdT with experience teaching in South Korea and at the San Diego Zoo, but has truly blossomed as a candidate, substitute teacher, and cohort team member. She has embraced her role as a lifelong learner by seeking out leadership opportunities, and we love having her in our cohort!”
After a competitive process of applications and interviews, Yamada was selected based on her experiences with AI, such as Google Creative Lab tools like Teachable Machines. As part of her role as an AI ambassador, she will look at how different AI tools can support students in their academic studies. Programs she is considering include Consensus, Connected Papers, and Scholarcy.
“This AI Innovation Lab ties into my current area of study as I am interested in looking into how AI can be used as a tool to support students in learning rather than a crutch,” Yamada said. “I believe there can be a healthy use of AI in academics. We just need to teach students how to properly use it.”
Yamada is currently in her first-year field placement at Momilani Elementary in the second grade and will be completing her on-the-job training at August Ahrens Elementary in the sixth grade next semester.
The AI Innovation Lab is a new PACE Leader–run program that offers students opportunities to explore, experiment with, and apply artificial intelligence across creative, academic, and entrepreneurial contexts. PACE Leaders in this program will have a unique opportunity to help build and shape the program by experimenting with emerging tools, responding to evolving student needs, and creating accessible entry points for peers to develop real-world AI skills that are increasingly essential across all career paths. Programming may include workshops and events, hackathons and design sprints, venture-focused deep dives, working groups, industry-led sessions with businesses, and micro-internships that apply AI tools to real-world projects.
