Woo Lee, professor and department chair of Chemistry and Chemical Biology in the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering and Science, believes that preparing students for a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence requires more than simply bringing AI into the classroom.

Through Stevens’ growing Artificial Intelligence in Biology and Chemistry (AiBC) Community, Lee and his colleagues are working to connect career exploration and AI-enabled research with hands-on experiences, including summer programs, internships and apprenticeships. A recent four-week summer program, for example, brought together students from Stevens, Saint Peter’s University and Hudson County Community College to learn about using AI in drug discovery.

“What’s important is human interactions, human engagement, connection, networking, learning from each other.”

- Woo Lee, Professor and Department Chair of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

As AiBC continues to grow, Lee sees industry partners as an important bridge between learning experiences and the professional opportunities that can follow.

One example is PwC (formerly PricewaterhouseCoopers), whose connection to AiBC grew through Benjamin Gill ’90, a PwC partner/principal who initially returned to Stevens looking to give back. As a Stevens student, Gill gained research experience through both the Undergraduate Projects in Technology and Medicine (UPTAM) and Stevens Scholars programs and participated in the co-op program, where a professional connection helped lead to his first job at Merck. He later joined the department’s external advisory board and began speaking with students about career pathways beyond more traditional options such as medical school or laboratory research.

“[I tell students to] try to keep as many doors open as possible because you never know how your career and your personal life might evolve and where that might lead,” Gill says.

“He’s opening up students’ minds,” Lee says.

Gill has since personally supported student summer experiences and is working through his alumni and professional networks to develop internships. He also helped bring PwC into the growing AiBC network, first through sponsorship of its inaugural Community Workshop and later through a PwC Foundation grant supporting the community’s development.

“[I tell students to] try to keep as many doors open as possible because you never know how your career and your personal life might evolve and where that might lead.”

- Benjamin Gill ’90, Partner, PwC

Lee is looking to build similar connections with other companies. He sees three avenues for growing those relationships: company-sponsored programming, internship opportunities and larger corporate foundation support.

“What’s important is human interactions, human engagement, connection, networking, learning from each other,” Lee says.

– Charles O’Brien