"The Cultural Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Church and Community”

On behalf of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, All Saints will be hosting an event open to everyone on Tuesday, September 1st, at 10:00 am in the Great Hall.  The keynote speaker is the Rev. Dr. Michael Delashmutt, Senior Vice President of General Theological Seminary in New York City.  His research and writing range widely across Anglican theology, practical theology, and the ways emerging technologies—from information systems to artificial intelligence—are reshaping how people understand knowledge, authority, and religious life.  His current research explores the theological implications of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies for Christian ministry and formation.  Following the keynote speech, there will be a question-and-answer session with a panel of experts in the field, including The Rev. Dr. Pan Conrad, Dr. George Dimitoglou, and Dr. Mark A. Thompson, Sr.  A light lunch will be provided following the panel discussion.  We invite you to join us for this informative session.

Followed by a Question and Answer Session with Panelists:
The Rev. Dr. Pan Conrad
Pamela (Pan) Conrad is an Episcopal priest and a scientist. She is presently serving as the interim rector of Memorial Episcopal Church in Baltimore, MD, as the Warden of the North American Province of The Society of Ordained Scientists, and as research associate at the Earth and Planets Laboratory of The Carnegie Institution of Science. She is a twenty-five year veteran of NASA and has served as co-investigator and deputy principal investigator for three instruments on two Mars missions, both still in operation on the surface of Mars. Her scientific expertise is in planetary habitability and in the development of approaches and semi-autonomous instrumentation for life detection on other planets. She published an invited contribution on artificial intelligence and ministry for a special volume of the Journal Religions several months ago, and is in the process of writing a book further exploring the impact of artificial intelligence in ministry. Her particular ministry call is to merge the disciplines of both science and faith as a tool for theological reflection and evangelism. Church Publishing has recently released her book A Believer's Journey Through the Stars.

Dr. George Dimitoglou
A professor of computer science at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, with extensive experience teaching computing, cybersecurity, and information technology.  His research and professional interests include information security, cryptography, secure information systems, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.  He is a certified IBM Artificial Intelligence Practitioner Instructor, a Fulbright grant recipient (South Africa and Namibia), and holds a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, where he studied cybersecurity and responsible AI governance in public-interest digital transformation.  Before entering academia, he worked in industry and government on projects involving information systems, telecommunications, data archiving, and space science.  He earned his doctorate in Computer Science from the School of Engineering and Applied Science at The George Washington University.  He is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and Upsilon Pi Epsilon, the international honor society for computing and information disciplines.

Dr. Mark A. Thompson, Sr.
The Endowed Professor of Computer Science and Technology at McDaniel College. With more than three decades of experience spanning industry, academia, and applied research, he has built a career centered on advancing technological innovation while preparing students for impactful careers in computer science and cybersecurity. His background includes engineering leadership in telecommunications systems development, academic experience developing and teaching computer science and cybersecurity curricula, and research activities focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning for cybersecurity analytics, agentic network reconnaissance, blockchain-enabled security frameworks, and cyber range experimentation environments. At McDaniel College, Dr. Thompson will contribute to building industry relationships, advancing applied research, and shaping curriculum in collaboration with the upcoming School of Business and Technology.