DC Talks: Alumni Series “GenAI: The Power of Infinite Possibilities”

About this class

Generative AI (GenAI) has truly taken the world by storm, revolutionizing the way we communicate, work and innovate. ChatGPT, with its 100 million users, stands as a testament to the rapid adoption and widespread impact of this cutting-edge technology. Join us in the Global Classroom where we will learn more about GenAI and its impact on the workplace and society. Durham College (DC) graduates Roop Gill (’20 Chemical Laboratory Technician); Shane Graham (’13 Computer Programmer Analyst); Tejas Vyas (’21 Artificial Intelligence Analysis); and special guest Amanda Maknyik, associate dean of Teaching Learning and Program Quality at DC, will continue the conversation on this innovative topic.

This event is brought to you by the Durham College Alumni Association in collaboration with our colleagues in the Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

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Panellists

Roop Gill, ’20 Chemical Laboratory Technician

Roop Gill began her Canadian journey as an immigrant, enrolling at Durham College (DC) to study chemical lab technology. Along the way, she leveraged her prior knowledge and work experiences to transition into the tech industry.

Before joining DC, Roop obtained a Bachelors in Human Genetics from Guru Nanak Dev University in India. As department lead at Amazon, she demonstrated her leadership skills and eye for optimizing efficiency, breaking the record of highest processed shipments during a single shift.

Today, Roop is proud to be a field operations specialist at Sanctuary AI, a prominent Vancouver-based company specializing in robotics with a mission to address workforce gaps and enhance workplace safety and efficiency.

Shane Graham, ’13 Computer Programmer Analyst

Shane Graham first delved into programming during a high school media and communications class. Recognizing a budding passion and talent, he founded and developed web tools for a popular multiplayer online role-playing game, achieving significant traction. This early success inspired Shane to deepen his expertise, leading him to enroll in Durham College’s Computer Programmer Analyst program in 2010.

Throughout his college years and into his professional journey, including during his tenure at PerkinElmer, Inc., Shane’s skillset and leadership qualities positioned him at the forefront of technical teams, spearheading projects and mentoring colleagues. He has since co-founded three tech ventures, including Invyzn Solutions and Geosoft.io, which have made notable impacts in fleet management and software development sectors. His third venture, VYPI, epitomizes Shane’s forward-thinking approach, offering tools that benefit both his initiatives and the larger tech community through open-source contributions.

For Shane, the intersection of technology and humanity remains paramount. His keen interest in generative AI allows him to weave AI capabilities into everyday operations, painting a future where machines and human creativity coexist in perfect harmony.

Amanda Maknyik, special guest

Amanda Maknyik is the associate dean of Teaching, Learning and Program Quality in the Centre for Teaching & Learning at Durham College (DC). She is the co-lead on DC’s generative AI taskforce, investigating the opportunities and considerations for using generative AI to support and enhance student learning and the associated impact on academic integrity, course standards and program quality.

Amanda has spoken about the impact of generative AI on teaching, learning, assessment and transferable skills at the Ontario Educational Technology Committee Advancing Learning conference, Colleges & Institutes Canada Perspectives LIVE webinar series, the Ontario College Administrative Staff Association Leaders and Innovators conference, and DC’s Academic Kickoff.

She holds a Master of Education in Integral Curriculum Development and is completing her Doctor of Philosophy with a focus on generative AI and academic integrity in the Canadian college system. She is a member of the Society for Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Committee on Academic Integrity and Contract Cheating, and the Academic Integrity Council of Ontario.

Tejas Vyas, ’21 Artificial Intelligence Analysis

Tejas Vyas is a principal investigator and former research associate at Durham College’s (DC) AI Hub and currently leads the mobile applications development at PrefNA Inc., a software company offering solutions for the window, door and facade industry. In 2021, he completed the Artificial Intelligence Analysis graduate certificate program at DC.

With a strong background in AI and data science techniques, including natural language processing, anomaly detection and reinforcement learning, Tejas has led and contributed to more than 15 projects at the AI Hub across various industries, providing consultation services for project scoping, management and talent acquisition.

Tejas obtained a Master of Science in Computer Science from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) with a focus on artificial intelligence, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Math from the University at Buffalo. He is currently finishing his Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science at TMU with a research focus in Computer Vision.