Faculty Chosen for CAA’s AI Technologies Champion Network, Inaugural Award

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Feb. 25, 2026) – Two North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University faculty members have been named to the CAA Academic Alliance’s AI Technologies Champion Network, one of whom received the inaugural AI Technologies Network Award.

Among the 22 faculty and staff selected from nearly 400 applicants across 13 institutions, Chyi-lyi “Kathleen” Liang, Ph.D., W.K. Kellogg Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Agriculture, and Yimesker Yihun, Ph.D., Ford Motor Company Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will represent N.C. A&T in the 2025-26 cohort of the network.

Yihun was also one of five to receive the AI Technologies Network Award, recognizing exemplary scholarship, leadership and impact in AI research and education innovation across the alliance. The selection highlights his research leadership in human-centered AI, spanning rehabilitation robotics, automotive manufacturing and engineering education. His scholarship in the College of Engineering integrates AI with physical systems, human decision-making, and ethical design to address real world challenges.

Liang, an accomplished scholar in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences whose work bridges agricultural systems, applied economics and emerging technologies, joins Yihun as a part of the network, which supports faculty and staff who are innovating in teaching and learning; interdisciplinary research; student success and advising; leadership development; and institutional effectiveness

“N.C. A&T is committed to leading the charge in AI innovation and education nationwide,” said Catherine Edmonds, interim provost  and executive vice chancellor for Academic Affairs. “With Dr. Yihun and Dr. Liang joining the CAA Academic Alliance’s AI Technologies Network, our university is poised to advance its leadership in transformative AI research and shape the future of ethical, human-centered artificial intelligence.”

Launched in 2025, the AI Technologies Champion Network brings together 22 faculty and staff from across the CAA Academic Alliance to build cohesive, ethical and scalable approaches to AI adoption in higher education. Members collaborate across institutions to develop innovative practices, engage in leadership development and participate in inter-institutional project opportunities, culminating in Alliance-wide projects and shared outcomes.