More than 140 engineering and computer science leaders from across the Southeastern Conference gathered at the Lee J. Styslinger Jr. College of Engineering July 27-29 for the 2026 SEC Engineering Leadership Summit. The three-day conference fostered collaboration among engineering deans, associate deans, assistant deans, department heads, development directors and communications directors and addressed the opportunities and most pressing challenges facing engineering programs today.
This year’s gathering, which drew representatives from all 16 SEC universities, centered around the theme of artificial intelligence and its influence across engineering, computer science, industry and government.
“Engineering colleges across the SEC share a commitment to preparing the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers that are so critically needed in our states and across our nation,” said Dean Clifford Henderson. “As our institutions navigate emerging opportunities and challenges, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, the SEC Engineering Leadership Summit strengthens our ability to learn from one another, exchange ideas and shape the future of engineering education together.”
The summit’s keynote presentation featured a panel comprised of industry-leading professionals, including Dr. Amit Kumar, exploration AI program manager for ExxonMobil; Robert Lightfoot, president of Lockheed Martin Space; Dr. Keith Nagara, director of strategic academic partnerships and centers of excellence for Dassault Systems; Bobby Napiltonia, chief helper for The GTM Firm; Ananth Sankaranarayanan, vice president of AI infrastructure for Microsoft; and Michael Schulte, senior fellow at AMD. Drawing from their experience across aerospace, energy, electronics, software and related fields, panelists’ discussions focused on the myriad applications of artificial intelligence and its implications for education, research and workforce development.
“One of the highlights of this year’s summit was the engagement of leaders from across industry,” said Henderson. “Their insights provided valuable context for how artificial intelligence is being applied in the real world today and how engineering and computer science education and research programs can continue to evolve alongside those advancements to ensure that we are properly preparing students for the workplaces of tomorrow.”
Attendees engaged in a hands-on workshop led by Google that introduced them to advanced concepts in agentic AI, culminating in an exercise that guided participants through building their own AI agents. Additional programming included targeted breakout groups, an interactive presentation hosted by UA’s Department of Computer Science and the Alabama Center for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, and five-minute presentations in which faculty and staff outlined recent initiatives that have been successful at their institutions.
As artificial intelligence continues to reshape both academia and industry, the summit reinforced the commitment of SEC engineering colleges to preparing professionals who are equipped to lead and excel in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.