Westmont Downtown Lecture Talk Explores Changes, Opportunities with AI

A Westmont Downtown Lecture will explore AI's real-world implications on Thursday, April 23, at 5:30 p.m. at Westmont Downtown | Keith Center, 29 W. Anapamu St. The talk, “AI and Our Shared Future: Opportunities, Challenges and What’s at Stake," features Mike Ryu, Westmont assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, and Reed Sheard, Westmont vice president of advancement and chief information officer. The free lecture offers insights on thoughtfully engaging with technological changes while creating new opportunities. No tickets or reservations required; the limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please call (805) 565-6051.

"I’ll open with a brief introduction to AI and then examine how technologies grow exponentially," Ryu says. “I’ll break down how much of the information surrounding AI is real and what is likely hype.”

“I’ll explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping society, education and our daily lives— not just as a tool, but as a force that’s challenging us to rethink what it means to be human,” Sheard says.

Ryu earned both a bachelor’s degree in software engineering and a master’s degree in computer science at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He worked in the software industry in the San Francisco Bay Area as a software engineer, an agile coach and an engineering manager before coming to Westmont in 2023. “My passion in computer science is empowering people with technology by teaching in a way that eliminates the high barrier to enter the computing field,” he says.  

Sheard graduated from the University of Sioux Falls, earned a Master of Divinity at Fuller Theological Seminary and a doctorate in higher education leadership from Seattle University and has authored numerous articles in addressing innovation and technology while also serving on multiple boards. He joined Westmont in 2008 after serving for five years as vice president and CIO at Spring Arbor University in Michigan, where he oversaw the development of a private, statewide network covering more than 1,800 miles and serving 14 regional sites as well as the main campus. He has also worked at General Electric, Apple, Consonus and George Fox University as an assistant professor of leadership studies.

The Westmont Foundation sponsors the talk, part of Westmont Downtown: Conversations about Things that Matter. Find convenient parking for the lecture at Santa Barbara City Parking Lots 4 or 5.