Earlham College’s Debanjali Banerjee selected for national AI education fellowship 

The Computing Research Association (CRA) has selected Debanjali Banerjee, Earlham College assistant professor in computer science, to the inaugural cohort of 25 National Science Foundation National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NSF NAIRR) AI Education Fellows. They have been selected to serve as national ambassadors for advancing AI education through the NAIRR Pilot Classroom and the NAIRR Pilot Classroom Expansion AI EDU Research Coordination Network (RCN). 

Representing 23 states across the United States, this cohort reflects a broad geographic and institutional reach — spanning public and private colleges and universities, community colleges, and a wide range of higher education settings.  

“These Fellows will serve as ambassadors for AI education across the country, helping faculty and institutions leverage NAIRR resources to strengthen their courses and programs,” said Jeff Forbes, Director of Broadening Participation in Computing Initiatives at CRA and lead for the NAIRR AI Education initiative. “By elevating their leadership and connecting them nationally, we’re amplifying both their impact and the broader goals of the NAIRR AI Education program.” 

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the NSF NAIRR AI Education Fellowship at CRA brings together faculty champions committed to strengthening undergraduate AI education. Fellows will pilot and adapt courses utilizing NAIRR Pilot Classroom resources, support faculty nationwide in integrating these materials into courses, and help shape the strategic direction of the NAIRR AI EDU RCN. 

“AI is evolving quickly, and everyone has a different perspective on how to incorporate AI into the education system,” Banerjee said. “This fellowship brings those perspectives together in a way that ultimately benefits students, because they’re learning not just the technology, but how it’s understood across disciplines.” 

“AI is evolving quickly, and everyone has a different perspective on how to incorporate AI into the education system. This fellowship brings those perspectives together in a way that ultimately benefits students, because they’re learning not just the technology, but how it’s understood across disciplines.”

— Debanjali Banerjee, assistant professor of computer science

The fellowship term runs from March 2026 – February 2027 and includes a $5,000 stipend and national visibility as leaders in AI education. Fellows will lead monthly seminars, participate in strategic working meetings, and champion the adoption of AI education resources on their campuses and beyond. 

Banerjee joined Earlham in 2024 after earning her Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Science in Computer Science from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She also earned a Bachelor of Technology from West Bengal University of Technology in India. 

Before arriving at Earlham, she was a research assistant for three consecutive summers at UL Lafayette’s Informatics Research Institute. She also worked at West Bengal University of Technology as an assistant instructor. 

At Earlham, Banerjee’s research focuses on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, with a focus on image classification and analysis. She is also broadening her research to include medical image analysis. Her work investigates the interpretability and reliability of deep learning models, exploring methods to improve both prediction accuracy and transparency in how AI systems process and classify visual data. Beyond her research, she is passionate about integrating these advancements into the classroom, preparing the next generation of students to critically engage with and contribute to the evolving field of AI. 

“My expertise is on the imaging side of AI, but this fellowship is opening doors for me to explore other areas of Artificial Intelligence,” Banerjee said. “Learning how other faculty from different institutions across the country design their AI courses gives me fresh perspectives that I can bring back and adapt for my students at Earlham. 

I was drawn to this fellowship because I wanted to be part of a larger conversation about how we teach and incorporate AI in education effectively,” she said. “Being part of this national community will not only help me grow as an educator but also ensure my students are benefiting from the most current and collaborative approaches in AI education”  

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.