Four CSULB Faculty Awarded in CSU AI Educational Innovations Challenge

Published July 14, 2025
By Justin Lagace

Cal State Long Beach is proud to announce that four faculty members have been selected as awardees in the inaugural CSU Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge (AIEIC). Their proposals were among 63 selected for funding across the CSU system from a competitive pool of over 400 submissions.

Each Principal Investigator will receive funding to implement innovative approaches to integrating artificial intelligence into teaching and learning. The selected CSULB proposals are:

  • Claudia Barrulas Yefremian – College of Business, Management Department
    AI Literacy by Integrating AI Instructional Material into Undergraduate Business Courses 
     
  • Geri Lawson – College of Liberal Arts, English Department
    Lateral Research: Rethinking Large Language Models (LLMs) as Co-Researchers
     
  • Heather Macías – College of Education, Teacher Education Department
    Teaching Beyond the Classroom: AI-Supported Retention for Teacher Education
     
  • Sara Nourazari – College of Health and Human Services, Health Care Management Department
    ThinkMate Edu: A Faculty-Guided, AI-Supported Learning Environment for Critical Thinking 

In total, 45 proposals were submitted by CSULB faculty, representing seven of the university’s nine colleges—a testament to the campus’s strong engagement with emerging educational technologies and its commitment to interdisciplinary innovation.

While only four proposals were selected for funding, we commend all faculty who submitted for their dedication to reimagining the future of teaching with AI. Their ideas and initiative speak to a broader culture of academic creativity and inclusive excellence at The Beach.

Please join us in congratulating the selected awardees. Their leadership will help shape how students interact with artificial intelligence—encouraging critical, ethical engagement and preparing them for success in an increasingly AI-driven world.

We extend our deepest thanks to ALL applicants for their vision and commitment to innovation in higher education.