HCST 499: Robots, AI, & Transhumanists: Exploring the Uncanny Valley New class taught by Eric Brown, Spring 2026 TuTh 4:00-5:15pm

Human Context of Science and Technology (HCST) is a UMBC certificate program that provides students with a deeper understanding of the human context of science, technology, engineering, and medicine. In Spring 2026, Eric Brown will teach a new undergraduate special topics class on how AI and robotics will affect our world.

HCST 499/INDS 430:  Robots, AI, & Transhumanists: Exploring the Uncanny Valley
Eric Brown, Spring 2026, TuTh 4:00-5:15pm

Over the next one to two decades, humanity faces the prospect of having to share the planet with completely new and invented beings - robots, artificial intelligences, and humans who have begun to transform themselves into something other. The science and technology seem to be catching up with the heady dreams of sci-fi authors like Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick. Through this course, students will form a community of thinkers and experimenters that will engage with the complexities of living in this space. We will explore through discussion and doing what it is like to develop relationships with artificial intelligences and investigate the incursion of robots (e.g., delivery bots, robotaxis, and eldercare bots) into spaces traditionally reserved for humans. We will ask ourselves at what point, if ever, does the integration of technology into the human body transform that body into something that is beyond human. We will wonder together just how prepared are we to live in a world where sci-fi is no longer fiction?


]]> Human Context of Science and Technology (HCST) is a UMBC certificate program that provides students with a deeper understanding of the human context of science, technology, engineering, and... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/hcst/posts/154920 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/155282/guest@my.umbc.edu/083c1ce3eb4b406bf4b55fe08f2b2876/api/pixel ai class robotics society undergraduate UMBC AI https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/xxlarge.jpg?1765562630 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/xlarge.jpg?1765562630 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/large.jpg?1765562630 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/medium.jpg?1765562630 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/small.jpg?1765562630 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/xsmall.jpg?1765562630 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/155/282/d34f3bcfe940e1362a311181ecaef416/xxsmall.jpg?1765562630 new class: Robots, AI, & Transhumanists: Exploring the Uncanny Valley 0 0 true Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:13:41 -0500 UMBC Department of English adds course on Writing with AI

UMBC’s Department of English has added a new course, ENGL 211 Writing with AI. The course is being taught for the first time this Fall by Dr. Tanya Olsen, a Senior Lecturer and the Director of the Department's Writing and Rhetoric Division. Here is the description from UMBC's course catalog.


What if AI could help you solve problems, generate ideas, or tackle challenges simply by asking the right questions? This course introduces prompt writing - the art of crafting clear, purposeful inputs to guide AI tools, which is rooted in rhetorical skills. Rather than replacing human thinking, AI can enhance the creativity and analysis you bring to any writing situation. Students will master a range of prompt writing techniques while critically engaging with AI to design prompts for personal, academic, and professional purposes.

 ]]> UMBC’s Department of English has added a new course, ENGL 211 Writing with AI. The course is being taught for the first time this Fall by Dr. Tanya Olsen, a Senior Lecturer and the Director of the... https://catalog.umbc.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=40&coid=124409 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/152420/guest@my.umbc.edu/b74e4d793b99f269b5acc8e6a46cf431/api/pixel ai class course engl english prompt root-beer writing UMBC AI https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/xxlarge.jpg?1757710833 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/xlarge.jpg?1757710833 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/large.jpg?1757710833 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/medium.jpg?1757710833 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/small.jpg?1757710833 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/xsmall.jpg?1757710833 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/152/420/72d352b5c412b82fbc1fa96671fac779/xxsmall.jpg?1757710833 person typing on a laptop 0 0 true Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:09:31 -0400 Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:29:45 -0400 New UMBC course on the philosophy of Artificial Intelligence The UMBC Philosophy department has added a new oourse, Philosophy of AI (PHIL 378), to the Fall 2025 class schedule. The course will be taught by Philosophy faculty Jessica Pfeifer and Greg Ealick, who will explore the philosophical foundations and implications of Artificial Intelligence. The class will meet MWF at 11 in PAHB 229.

Philosophy 378 will examine core questions about the nature of AI, such as: What is AI? What is the relationship between AI and scientific knowledge? How can bias in AI be addressed? Can AI predict, influence, or even control human behavior? What is the relationship between mind and machine? Can AI replicate human capacities for cognition, creativity, and consciousness? And what is the future of human-AI interactions?

]]> The UMBC Philosophy department has added a new oourse, Philosophy of AI (PHIL 378), to the Fall 2025 class schedule. The course will be taught by Philosophy faculty Jessica Pfeifer and Greg... https://my3.my.umbc.edu/groups/philosophy/posts/151079 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/151200/guest@my.umbc.edu/d43ae562f5ac0d4eedc900665df285ba/api/pixel ai class philosophy umbc UMBC AI https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/xxlarge.jpg?1753744808 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/xlarge.jpg?1753744808 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/large.jpg?1753744808 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/medium.jpg?1753744808 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/small.jpg?1753744808 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/xsmall.jpg?1753744808 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/151/200/552f99673b573db6d36b8ab1bea5090c/xxsmall.jpg?1753744808 Philosophy of AI course at UMBC 0 0 true Tue, 29 Jul 2025 08:19:48 -0400 UMBC graduate course on AI Agent Computing, Fall 2025
UMBC's graduate Software Engineering Program will offer a new special topics in software engineering class  (SENG 691 section 5) this Fall on AI Agent Computing. Topics will include open-source AI libraries; personal small language models and special-purpose models; AI agents: AI agents with LLMs, ML models, and rule-based systems; AI-enhanced robotics; augmented artificial intelligence; functional safety for autonomous devices; sustainable computing; brain computer interfaces; tools and policies for AI regulation; and wearables biomarkers in medicine and wellness. 
]]> UMBC's graduate Software Engineering Program will offer a new special topics in software engineering class  (SENG 691 section 5) this Fall on AI Agent Computing. Topics will include open-source AI... https://csprd-web.ps.umbc.edu/psc/ps/EMPLOYEE/SA/s/WEBLIB_HCX_CM.H_CLASS_DETAILS.FieldFormula.IScript_Main?institution=UMBC1&term=&class_nbr=7609 https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/150764/guest@my.umbc.edu/700c1b35d6c10bdae372e3bcad5e4b57/api/pixel agent ai class programming software-engineering UMBC AI https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/xxlarge.jpg?1750712681 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/xlarge.jpg?1750712681 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/large.jpg?1750712681 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/medium.jpg?1750712681 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/small.jpg?1750712681 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/xsmall.jpg?1750712681 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/thumbnails/news/000/150/764/89c3287d2785273010c5921143aebab2/xxsmall.jpg?1750712681 a person programming with/for ai agents 0 0 true Thu, 26 Jun 2025 08:41:27 -0400 Free class: Programming in Lean for Scientists and Engineers 1-3pm ET July 9 – Aug 21, in-person & onlne, non-credit

Lean for Scientists and Engineers


Meets twice weekly, 1-3pm ET, July 9 – August 21, 2024
in-person at UMBC and online


UMBC’s AI & Theory-Oriented Molecular Science Lab (ATOMS) will teach a free, non-credit class, “Lean for Scientists and Engineers”, this summer. Lean 4 is a new programming language whose type system enables it to describe and check the logic of advanced math proofs. It makes it easier to write correct and maintainable code.

By writing software in Lean and writing proofs about those functions, we can be confidant that our code is correct. Our vision is to enable a new class of scientific computing software whose functions are interwoven with a library of formally-verified scientific derivations. All are welcome! This course is designed for non-mathematicians. 

Topics include logic and proofs for scientists and engineers, functional programming in Lean 4, and provably-correct programs for scientific computing. Prerequisites are Calculus II, introductory physics and introductory chemistry.

Register and get more information here.
UMBC Center for AI
]]> Lean for Scientists and Engineers Meets twice weekly, 1-3pm ET, July 9 – August 21, 2024 in-person at UMBC and online UMBC’s AI & Theory-Oriented Molecular Science Lab (ATOMS) will... https://beta.my.umbc.edu/api/v0/pixel/news/142662/guest@my.umbc.edu/8f0ff91312dcfc2a8d98cb288f319f7c/api/pixel ai class free non-credit programming proof UMBC AI https://beta.my.umbc.edu/groups/umbc-ai https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets2-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/original.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xlarge.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/large.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/medium.png?1691095779 https://assets3-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/small.png?1691095779 https://assets4-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xsmall.png?1691095779 https://assets1-beta.my.umbc.edu/system/shared/avatars/groups/000/002/081/cfb27ebe008c2636486089a759ea5c36/xxsmall.png?1691095779 UMBC AI 0 0 true Fri, 05 Jul 2024 12:52:05 -0400