2026 AI Innovator in Education Award
Deadline May 1, 2026 by 11:59 P.M. (Eastern Time)
$1,000 award for each of Three Winners!
The brAIn Hub AI Summit 2026 planning committee invites Western North Carolina’s colleges and universities to nominate faculty and staff members for the “2026 A.I. Innovator in Education Award.” This honor recognizes creative, effective, and ethical applications of artificial intelligence designed to enhance educational outcomes or institutional services.
Eligibility & Scope
Nominees must be current faculty or staff members at an eligible institution in the Western North Carolina region (counties listed below). Nominations may represent individuals or collaborative teams. Projects must be implemented or in an active pilot stage by Spring 2026.
Geographic Criteria
Participating institutions must have a campus located in the Western North Carolina counties (including Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Catawba, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey counties).
Nominees
Full-time or part-time faculty and staff members.
Project Types
Nominations may represent individuals or collaborative teams working on a specific AI project.
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be judged on originality, practicability, and usefulness to a broader academic audience. Projects should demonstrate a clear impact in at least one of the following areas:
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Improving educational outcomes including the ethical, responsible and inclusive use of A.I. for students.
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Streamlining student services and administrative efficiency.
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Connecting campus initiatives with the regional employment needs of WNC.
Important Dates
May 1, 2026
Submission deadline; committee selects “finalists."
May 15, 2026
Final selection of three winning projects.
May 22, 2026
Notification of winners
June 4-5, 2026
Award presentations at the AI Summit, Kimmel Arena, UNC Asheville
Submission Requirements
All nominations must be submitted as a single PDF (maximum 10 pages, 50 MB, 12 point font). Submissions should include a project overview, description of AI use, evidence of impact, ethical considerations, scalability, and a brief nominee biography. External media may be included via hyperlinks within the document. Please be sure to adhere to the PDF requirements above.
Prizes & Recognition
Three winning projects will receive a $1,000 award, the opportunity to present at the BrainHub AI Summit, and regional recognition across partner platforms. Team awards will be issued to the institution for distribution according to institutional policy.
Evaluation Criteria
Innovation & Originality (20%)
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Demonstrates a highly original or transformative use of AI.
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Moves beyond common or routine applications.
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Shows clear advancement of practice in education or institutional services.
Demonstrated Impact on Students or Institutional Effectiveness (25%)
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Shows supporting evidence in improvements in learning and student achievement.
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Demonstrates potential improvement in institutional retention, customer responsiveness, and efficiency.
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Demonstrates improvement in how institution services non-traditional and underserved populations are served.
Scalability & Transferability (15%)
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Adaptable to other courses, departments, or institutions.
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Includes clear implementation guidance.
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Transferable with reasonable training and professional development.
Ethical, Responsible, and Inclusive Use of AI (20%)
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Demonstrates proactive and comprehensive ethical considerations for data security, bias mitigation, accessibility and inclusiveness.
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Aligns with best responsible AI ethical practices.
Alignment with Regional Workforce and Community Needs (20%)
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Clearly prepares students or institutions for AI-enabled workforce demands.
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Demonstrates partnerships or relevance to regional industries.
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Demonstrates ongoing collaboration with the private sector.