Beyond the Basics: A Structured Faculty Development Model for Evaluating GenAI Research Applications

As generative AI transforms academic work, faculty development initiatives often struggle to bridge the gap between generic AI overviews and discipline-specific needs. Rush University implemented an innovative three-part workshop series that paired disciplinary expertise with AI-focused educational guidance to help faculty critically evaluate GenAI tools for academic research. Moving beyond theoretical presentations, the series demonstrated AI's potential through mini-experiments in the following areas: AI-powered literature reviews, data analysis and visualization, and innovative uses as a peer reviewer and evaluator. This evidence-based approach to systematically testing AI systems advances faculty development beyond general awareness toward rigorous, discipline-specific evaluation.