AI for Energy & Chemical Symposium
2025-03-17 13:00 - 19:00 UTC
AI for Energy & Chemical Symposium
Presented by AI Applied ConsortiumHosted at BASF Freeport | Sponsored by Cognite AI
Join us for a dynamic symposium bringing together industry leaders, AI innovators, and manufacturing experts to explore the transformative impact of AI in energy, chemicals, and manufacturing. This exclusive event will feature key discussions on AI-driven digital transformation, operational efficiency, and industry best practices.
Location: 602 Copper Rd, Freeport, TX 77541
Date/Time: March 17th, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Format: Presentations & Roundtable with Applied AI Research and Industry Collaboration

Brad Morrison
Kush Vaidya
Dr. Heiko Kulinna

Senior VP & GM
Global Product Manager Operational EHS
Head of Production AI, NA/SA

BASF Freeport
BASF
BASF

Konrad Konarski
Mike McFarlane
Adam Berg

Chairperson
Digitalization Lead Advisor
Manager Learning Solutions

AI Applied Consortium
AI Applied Consortium
TechnipFMC

Elias Brown
Mike Burgess

Data Manager
Vice President of Operations

Vallourec S.A.
Crenlo Engineered Cabs

🚀 Event Overview

This roundtable event brings together leaders from industry and academia to discuss the transformative power of AI. The agenda includes a main session and two industry roundtables, each focused on a critical aspect of applied AI.

🕒 Time
📢 Session Details

1:15 – 1:30 PM
Welcome & Safety Briefing
🗣️ Speaker: Brad Morrison, Senior Vice President & General Manager, BASF Freeport
🔹 Overview: Brad Morrison will kick off the symposium, emphasizing safety, collaboration, and the future of AI-driven industrial advancements.

1:30 – 2:00 PM
Overview of the Applied AI Consortium
🗣️ Speaker: Konrad Konarski, Chair, AI Applied Consortium
🔹 Overview: Konrad Konarski will discuss the Applied AI Consortium’s mission, research councils, and industry collaborations driving AI adoption in energy and chemicals.

2:00 – 2:30 PM
Improving Safety with the Power of AI🗣️ Speaker: Adam Berg, Manager, Learning Solutions, TechnipFMC🔹 Overview: Adam Berg will highlight how AI is enhancing safety across manufacturing and energy environments through real-world applications, workforce training innovations, and predictive insights.

2:45 – 3:15 PM
AI in BASF – Industrial Digitalization & Smart Manufacturing
🗣️ Speaker: Heiko Kulinna, Production AI North & South America, BASF
🔹 Overview: Heiko Kulinna will share some of the methodologies and actions for advancing AI solutions in BASF Production Processes, along with insights into how AI is reshaping BASF’s production processes in line with their new corporate strategyy.

3:15 – 3:45 PM
Industry Roundtable – AI & Digital Transformation
🗣️ Moderator: Mike McFarlane, Advisor, Manufacturing Digitalization
🔹 Overview: Mike McFarlane will lead an open discussion on the challenges and successes of AI adoption, featuring insights from industry leaders and digitalization experts.

3:45 – 4:15 PM
Optimizing Manufacturing with AI & Automation
🗣️ Speaker: Mike Burgess, Vice President of Operations, Crenlo Engineered Cabs
🔹 Overview: Mike Burgess will discuss how AI-driven automation and predictive analytics are enhancing efficiency, quality, and production workflows.

4:15 – 4:45 PM
Data Strategy & AI in Industrial Applications
🗣️ Speaker: Elias Brown, North American Data Manager, Vallourec
🔹 Overview: Elias Brown will highlight how AI-powered data strategies are improving decision-making, predictive maintenance, and operational performance in energy and manufacturing.

4:45 – 5:30 PM
Trustee Meeting (Invitation Only)
🗣️ Speaker: Konrad Konarski, Chair, AI Applied Consortium
🔹 Overview: Konrad Konarski will lead an exclusive discussion on consortium strategy, funding, and next steps in AI-driven industrial innovation.

6:00 – 7:30 PM
Evening Networking Event
📍 Location: Nishiki Japanese Restauraunt- 3414 Business Center Dr. Pearland, Tx – Hosted by AI Applied Consortium
🔹 Overview: Network with peers, industry experts, and AI leaders in an informal setting to discuss the future of AI in energy and manufacturing.

📍 Location: BASF Freeport, Texas

🔗 Registration Below

🚀 Be part of the conversation shaping the future of AI in energy and chemicals

AI in Manufacturing Symposium
2025-05-29 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
AI in Manufacturing Symposium
Presented by AI Applied Consortium & University of KentuckyHosted at University of Kentucky, Lexington
Join us for a dynamic symposium bringing together industry leaders, AI innovators, and manufacturing experts to explore the transformative impact of AI in manufacturing. This exclusive event will feature key discussions on AI-driven digital transformation, operational efficiency, and industry best practices.

Location:
Lexington, KY
University of Kentucky
E. Britt Brockman, M.D. Senate Chamber (GSC 268), Gatton Student Center
Room 18 (pdf link)

Date/Time: May 29th, 2025 | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Format: Presentations & Roundtable with Applied AI Research and Industry Collaboration

Dr. Fazleena Badurdeen
Michael Burgess
Konrad Konarski

Earl Parker Robinson Chair
Vice President of Operations
Chairperson

Professor’ of Mechanical
Crenlo Engineered Cabs
AI Applied Consortium

and Aerospace Engineering

University of Kentucky

Dr. Hasan Poonawala
Tom Wipert
Elias Brown

Assistant Professor
Senior Analyst (Innovation)
Data Manager

University of Kentucky
Toyota
Vallourec S.A.

Joe Cellucci
I.S. Jawahir
Michael Braun

Chief Executive Officer
Director of Institute of
Lead Public Sector Advisor

Enable Consulting LLC.
Sustainable Manufacturing
& Trustee

University of Kentucky
AI Applied Consortium

🚀 Event Overview

This symposium brings together leaders from industry and academia to discuss the transformative power of AI in manufacturing. The agenda includes expert presentations and interactive discussions.

🕒 Time
📢 Session Details

1:00 – 1:05 PM
Welcome
🗣️ Speaker: I.S. Jawahir, Professor and James F. Hardymon Chair in Manufacturing Systems; Director of Institute for Sustainable Manufacturing.

1:05 – 1:15 PM
Opening Remarks
🗣️ Speaker: Konrad Konarski, AI Applied Consortium

1:15 – 2:00 PM
Keynote: Building Industrial Intelligence – Leveraging AI for Next Generation Manufacturing
🗣️ Speaker: Dr. Fazleena Badurdeen , Universtiy of Kentucky

2:00 – 2:30 PM
Workforce Development in the Era of Artificial Intelligence
🗣️ Speakers: Elias Brown, Vallourec

2:30 – 3:00 PM
Machine Learning for Spot Welding
🗣️ Speaker: Joe Kenshaw, Post-Grad University of Kentucky

3:00 – 3:15 PM
BREAK / REFRESHMENTS + Student Poster Session🧃 Network with peers and explore innovative AI applications presented by University of Kentucky engineering students.

3:15 – 3:45 PM
AI-Driven Innovation in Manufacturing
🗣️ Speaker: Hasan Poonawala, University of Kentucky

3:45 – 4:45 PM
Panel Discussion: Barriers to AI Adoption in Manufacturing🗣️ Panelists: Konrad Konarski AI Applied Consortium, Joe Cellucci, Enable Consulting, and Michael Braun AI Applied Consortium🗣️ Moderated by: University of Kentucky Engineering Post Grad

4:45 – 4:50 PM
Closing Remarks
🗣️ By: Konrad Konarski

5:30- 7:30 PM
Cocktail & Networking Dinner (Location Lost Palm – 941 Manchester St, Lexington, KY 40508)🍸🍽️ Join us for a curated cocktail and dinner event that blends great conversation , local flavor , and meaningful networking with speakers, peers, and industry leaders. (INVITE ONLY)

📍 Location: University of Kentucky, Lexington

🔗 Registration Below

🚀 Be part of the conversation shaping the future of AI in manufacturing

Connected Worker: Manufacturing Summit 2025
2025-10-14 13:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
📅 October 14–16, 2025📍 Hilton Chicago – Oak Brook Hills Resort🎟️ Save 20% with code: AIAPPLIED20 (T&Cs apply)*🔗 Event Website
Join us in Chicago for the 4th Annual Connected Worker: Manufacturing Summit, the premier North American event focused on digitally enabling your frontline workforce.
With 75+ speakers and 300+ industry leaders, this summit dives deep into how intelligent automation, AI, and digital tools are redefining the factory floor. Learn directly from pioneers at Boeing, Coca-Cola, Kraft Heinz, Pfizer, FUJIFILM, Hershey, Mondelez, and more.
In partnership with the AI Applied Consortium, attendees receive 20% off their pass using the code AIAPPLIED20.

AI at Work, AI for Good - Symposium
2025-10-14 13:00 - 19:00 UTC
📍 Location: DePaul Center (1 E Jackson Blvd), 8th floor SPARK Center (Room 8010)
📅 Date & Time: October 14, 2025 | 1:00 – 5:00 PM CDT

This half-day symposium brings together industry leaders, academic researchers, social innovators, and technology providers to explore how artificial intelligence is transforming the world of work and society at large. From workforce development and career readiness to data-driven platforms that empower connected workers, optimize industrial operations, and strengthen community resilience, the program highlights real-world applications, research breakthroughs, and initiatives advancing AI for Social Good.
Sessions will feature insights into industrial innovation, applied research from DePaul University, and a spotlight on emerging technologies such as digital twins, contextualized data models, and workforce analytics that are shaping the future of enterprise transformation. The agenda also examines how AI can contribute to humanitarian logistics, community health, and broader societal impact.
Designed as a collaborative forum, the symposium connects executives, scholars, practitioners, and community leaders to discuss the future of work in an AI-driven economy, spanning talent pipelines, industrial platforms, and social good initiatives.

Nezih Altay
Professor & Fulbright Scholar
DePaul University

Elias Brown
North American Data Manager
Vallourec

Kathy Fulton
Executive Director
American Logistics Aid Network

Martin Gonzales
Director of Innovation
BP

Konrad Konarski
Chairperson
AI Applied Consortium

Ron Norris
Retired Director of Innovation
Georgia Pacific

Kevin Patel
Student Researcher
DePaul University

Tushar Vantaram
Student Researcher
DePaul University

Vishwa Teja
Student Researcher
DePaul University

Mike McFarlane
Director of Digitalization (Ret.)
BASF

Adam J. Hecktman
Head of Community Impact
Forgood.io

Michael Burgess
Vice President
Crenlo Engineered Cabs

Main Session – Agenda
1:00 – 1:20 PM | Welcome & Opening Remarks
Opening remarks on the symposium by framing the role of AI in shaping workforce development, industrial transformation, and social good initiatives, and by setting the tone for collaboration across industry, academia, and community impact.

1:20 – 1:30 PM | SPARK Center Director Welcome
Brief welcome and overview of the SPARK Center resources and services.

1:30 – 2:10 PM | Keynote: Workforce Development in the Age of AI
Mike McFarlane, Retired Director of Digitalization, BASF
Drawing from decades of leadership in digital transformation, Mike will share perspectives on how AI is redefining workforce skills, organizational structures, and the adaptability required for future-ready enterprises.

2:10 – 2:55 PM | Industry Panel: AI Driving Innovation in Energy & Manufacturing
Martin Gonzalez, Director of Innovation, BP
Elias Brown, Data Manager, Vallourec
Ron Norris, Retired Director of Innovation, Georgia Pacific
This panel will explore practical applications of AI in heavy industry, highlighting how companies are leveraging technology to improve efficiency, safety, sustainability, and workforce enablement in energy and manufacturing.

2:55 – 3:10 PM | Networking Break
A chance for participants to engage directly with speakers, industry peers, and academic researchers in an informal setting.

3:10 – 4:00 PM | Research & Academia Showcase: Building AI Career Architectures
Prof. Nezih Altay, DePaul University (Fulbright Scholar)
Ilyas Ustun, Director of Analytics, DePaul University
Kevin Patel & Tushar Vantaram, DePaul Student Researchers
This session will highlight applied research from DePaul, including projects such as Tariff 360 and the National Video Analytics Program, demonstrating how academic innovation supports workforce development and industry collaboration.

4:00 – 4:40 PM | AI for Social Good: Humanitarian Logistics & Community Impact
Nezih Altay, DePaul University
Kathy Fulton, Executive Director, American Logistics Aid Network
Adam J. Hecktman, Founder, Forgood.io
This discussion will explore how AI can strengthen humanitarian supply chains, improve community health, and drive broader societal impact, showing how innovation can extend beyond industry to serve the public good.

4:40 – 4:55 PM | Roundtable: Career Pathways & Social Good in an AI-First Future
Moderated by Konrad Konarski
Featuring all speakers + audience interaction
The roundtable will synthesize key insights from the day, bringing together perspectives from industry, academia, technology, and social impact to chart how AI will shape both workforce pathways and community resilience.

4:55 – 5:00 PM | Closing Reflections & Next Steps
Konrad Konarski, Chairperson, AI Applied Consortium
Konrad will close the symposium with a summary of takeaways and outline future opportunities for continued collaboration between industry, academia, and social innovators.

5:30 to 7:30 PM | Evening Cocktail Reception (By Invite) 🍸✨
Connect with speakers and peers over signature drinks and chef bites. Expect warm introductions, quick networking rounds, and a relaxed lounge vibe with music to turn fresh insights into real partnerships and pilot ideas.

Signals to Outcomes: AI at Mission Rock
2025-10-30 13:00 - 19:30 UTC
📍 Venue: Visa Global Headquarters — Mission Rock (Mission Bay), San Francisco, CA – 300 Toni Stone Xing, San Francisco, CA 94158
📅 Date & Time: October 30th | 1:00 – 7:30 PM PST
This invite-only working session at Visa’s Mission Rock headquarters convenes enterprise leaders, platform architects,
and researchers to turn Agentic AI, Hyperpersonalization, and Analytics into durable business value. We’ll pressure-test production patterns, share field results, and align on actionable 30/60/90-day pilot plans.
Sessions emphasize agentic orchestration for reliability and governance, real-time personalization across credit and customer journeys, and analytics operating models that convert signals to outcomes—without sacrificing safety or performance.

Sam Hamilton
SVP, Data & AI
Visa (former)

Abhishek Joshi
Head of U.S. Credit & Affluent Strategy
Visa

Anand Krishnan
Partnership & Consulting Lead
EY

Konrad Konarski
Chairperson
AI Applied Consortium / Prolifics Inc.

Teesee Murray
Group President (CEO, TurtleX)
Turtle

Dr. Satyam Priyadarshy
Retired Chief Data Scientist
Halliburton

Prasanna Vijayanathan
Senior Principal Engineer
Netflix

Dr. Cynthia Bailey
Senior Lecturer
Stanford University

Virginia Hughes
Canada Territory Lead
Prolifics

Swee-May Ngeow
VP, Head of North America Product, Client Strategy & Solutions
Visa

Dr. Kshitij Sanghi
VP, Predictive Fraud Prevention Products
Visa

Dr. Long Nguyen
Director of Data Science
Visa

Time
Session
Speakers
Details

1:00 – 1:10 PM
Welcome & Host Remarks (Visa)
Abhishek “AJ” Joshi — Head of U.S. Credit & Affluent Strategy, Visa
Konrad Konarski — Chairperson, AI Applied Consortium
Opening remarks and session framing for an outcomes-focused afternoon.

1:10 – 2:10 PM
AI Innovation at Visa
Personalization: Lawson Lau — VP, Head of North America Data Science
Risk Management: Kshitij Sanghi — VP, Predictive Fraud Prevention Products
AI in Operations: Erica Luong — Sr. Manager, Visa Consulting & Analytics; Rajat Das — Sr. Director, Platform Products
Payments for Agentic AI: Raj Brahmbhatt — Sr. Director, Payments; Swee-May Ngeow — VP, Head of North America Product, Client Strategy & Solutions
Sam Hamilton Former SVP VISA
How Visa teams are scaling agentic architectures, hardening evaluation, and aligning policy with progress across core domains.

2:10 – 2:30 PM
Networking Break
Curated intros & quick connects
Match on pilot topics and priority use cases.

2:30 – 3:30 PM
Industry Panel: From POCs to Agentic Systems in Production
Teesee Murray — Group President, Turtle | CEO, TurtleX
Anand Krishnan — Partner, EY
Prasanna Vijayanathan — Senior Technical Lead, Netflix
Konrad Konarski — Chairperson, AI Applied Consortium
From demo to dependable: orchestration stacks, evaluation harnesses, secure data products, and change management.

3:30 – 4:00 PM
Regulatory Landscape in AI
Dr. Cynthia Bailey — Stanford AI Lab
Briefing on emerging frameworks for accountability, governance, and compliance in enterprise AI.

4:00 – 5:30 PM
Roundtable: Opportunity to Pilot Innovation
Facilitated by: Konrad Konarski — Chairperson, AI Applied Consortium
Open discussion to scope high-impact pilots, align data and policy prerequisites, and set 30/60/90-day milestones.

5:30 – 7:30 PM
Evening Cocktail Reception & Networking
Sponsored by Prolifics:
Kaiyo Rooftop — 701 3rd St, Floor 12, San Francisco, CA 94107
Warm introductions, signature drinks, and a relaxed setting to convert insights into partnerships and pilot plans.

The Spark: Where Industrial AI Gets Real
2026-04-15 13:00 - 19:30 UTC
📍 Venue: Depaul University — The Spark Center — 1E Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60604 – 8th Floor Rm 8010
📅 Date & Time: April 15th | 1:00 – 5:00 PM CDT
The Spark: AI in Industry brings together the operators, architects, and researchers who are actually doing the work, not talking about it. Across three hard-hitting panels, we move from what’s delivering measurable value on the plant floor today,
to designing agentic systems that survive contact with real industrial constraints, to what the next operating model looks like when AI becomes part of the job. No keynote theater, no vendor pitches. Just the honest conversations that turn pilot projects into production reality.

Martin Gonzalez
Senior Manager, Refining Technology
BP

Nezih Altay
Director of the Master of Science in Supply Chain Management Program
Depaul University

Jungwoo Ryoo
Chancellor
Penn State

Konrad Konarski
Chairperson
AI Applied Consortium / Prolifics Inc.

Elias Brown
North American Data Manager
Vallourec

Jobi Abraham

Data Governance Manager
Illinois Department of Public Health

Michael Burgess
VP Operations
Crenlo Engineered Cabs

Dr. James Kulich
Director of MS in Data Science
Elmhurst University

John Thompson
Author and Innovation Fellow
University of Michigan

Marco Chou
Adjunct Professor
Oakton College

Time
Session
Speakers
Details

1:00 – 1:15 PM
OPENING REMARKS
Dr. Nezih Altay — Director of MS in Supply Chain Management, DePaul University
Konrad Konarski — Chairman at AI Applied Consortium
Opening remarks. Speaking about the collaboration between DePaul University and the Ai Applied Consortium. Introduction to the AI Applied Consortium and the importance of this symposium.

1:15 – 2:00 PM
Fireside Chat: AI in industry – what is working right now ?
Dr. Martin Gonzalez — Senior Manager, Refining Technology at BP
Marco Chou — Adjunct Professor, DePaul University
Hear directly from industry leaders on where AI is delivering measurable value today and where progress still stalls. This panel focuses on real adoption experience in energy and manufacturing, including the operational realities that determine whether AI scales or stops at the pilot stage.
Topics

High value AI use cases in operations and production
Why some pilots scale and others do not
Data readiness and system integration realities
Change management and frontline adoption
Trust, safety, and decision support in industrial settings
What leaders are prioritizing next

Outcomes

Practical examples of measurable AI value creation
Better understanding of common scale barriers
Clearer picture of near term priorities in industry adoption

2:00 – 2:15 PM
COFFEE BREAK

2:15 – 3:00 PM
PANEL 2: Agentic Ai in industry – move beyond the hype
Konrad Konarski — Chairman at AI Applied Consortium
Jobi Abrahams — Data Governance Manager at Illinois Dept of Public Health
Dr. James Kulich — Director of MS in Data Science at Elmhurst University
Move beyond the hype and into practical design. This session explores how agentic AI can support troubleshooting, decision making, and workflow coordination in complex industrial settings, with a focus on what it takes to make these systems useful, trusted, and scalable.
Topics

What agentic AI means in industrial operations
Practical use cases in energy and manufacturing workflows
Context, retrieval, and semantic grounding
Reasoning, orchestration, and task coordination
Human oversight, exception handling, and trust
Designing for legacy systems and real operational constraints
What breaks at scale and how to plan for it

Outcomes

Practical framework for evaluating agentic AI opportunities
Better understanding of design choices that affect success
Clearer path from concept to scalable industrial implementation

3:00 – 3:15 PM
COFFEE BREAK

3:15 – 4:00 PM
PANEL 3: The next operating model: Humans, AI, and industrial intelligence
Elias Brown — Data Manager at Vallourec
Dr. Nezih Altay — Director of MS in Supply Chain Management, DePaul University
John Thompson — Author and Innovation Fellow at U of Michigan
What happens when AI becomes part of everyday industrial work? This forward looking session explores how energy and manufacturing organizations may evolve over the next 3 to 5 years across frontline support, knowledge transfer, training, operational decision making, and workforce roles.
Topics

AI enabled frontline and plant support
Knowledge capture and transfer before expertise retires
Training and upskilling in AI enabled environments
Human plus AI decision support models
Operating model shifts across plants and enterprises
What is emerging now versus what is still overhyped

Outcomes

Grounded view of where industrial AI is heading next
Better distinction between near term reality and longer term hype
Clearer priorities for technology, talent, and operating model change

4:00 – 4:45 PM
STUDENT VOICE SESSION
Moderator: Konrad Konarski, AI Applied Consortium
In this session students will have an opportunity to voice their concerns and expectations regarding AI. The AI Applied Consortium will then summarize their feedback into a report which will be included in the Consortium’s AI policy posture document that will be submitted to the US Congress.

4:45 – 5:00 PM
CLOSING TAKEAWAYS AND NEXT STEPS
