Date: Tuesday, March 24, 2026
Time: 8:30 am to 10:00 am
Location: Room 312, University Center
Data centers power everything from traffic predictions and fraud detection on credit cards. At UMBC, researchers are developing AI-powered treatments for stomach disorders and AI tools that help students learn and thrive, among other projects. Data centers also have implications for public health, the environment, and energy capacity. Yet even as Maryland is poised to be the next major data center hub, many residents don’t know what they are, how they work, and what they power.
Join us for a conversation with Maryland policymakers and UMBC experts as they unpack the science behind data centers, key policy and ethical debates surrounding their construction, and how leaders can effectively communicate the costs and benefits of data centers to the public.
Up for Science and Politics is free, but space is limited. This event includes a full breakfast (breakfast burritos, coffee, juice, and other sides), so an RSVP is required.
Moderator
Dr. Anupam Joshi, Vice Provost, Chief Artificial Intelligence (AI) Officer
Panelists
Jack Suess, Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Del. Brian Crosby, District 29B
Del. Chao Wu, District 9A
Dr. Tim Finin, Research Professor, Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
Dr. Ida Ngambeki, Assistant Professor, Department of Information Systems
Dr. Karen Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Information Systems
Event Schedule
8:30 am to 8:40 am: Coffee and breakfast
8:40 am to 8:50 am: Welcoming remarks and panel introductions
8:50 am to 9:40 am: Moderated discussion
9:40 am to 9:55 am: Audience questions
9:55 am to 10:00 am: Closing remarks
This event is sponsored by the UMBC Institute of Politics with support from the Division of Research & Creative Achievement. Co-sponsors include the UMBC Center for AI, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Center for Social Science Scholarship, Department of Information Systems, Department of Political Science, and Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.