Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026
Time: 3:30–4:45 p.m. (75 minutes)
Venue: LIB 2001 (Lecture Hall)
Organizer: Duke Kunshan University Library
Moderator: Mengjie Zou, University Librarian, Duke Kunshan University
Artificial intelligence is transforming how knowledge is produced, discovered, evaluated, and applied. It is also changing university teaching and research, the skills employers seek, and the expectations placed on academic libraries. This panel brings together perspectives from research library leadership, higher education, and industry to explore how academic libraries can remain strategically relevant in the age of AI.
As artificial intelligence moves beyond answering questions to creating knowledge, supporting scientific research, and making complex decisions, how should we rethink the meaning of learning? What kinds of graduates will universities need to prepare for the future? And how will the roles of universities and academic libraries evolve as AI transforms the way knowledge is produced, accessed, and shared?
AI is reshaping not only how we learn and conduct research, but also how businesses operate and what employers expect from future talent. These changes raise fundamental questions about the value of higher education, the capabilities that will remain distinctly human, and the role of knowledge institutions in an AI-driven world.
Bringing together perspectives from academic library leadership, higher education, and the AI industry, this panel will explore how AI is transforming knowledge creation, university education, and the future of work. Our speakers will discuss how universities can rethink teaching and talent development, how academic libraries can remain strategically relevant, and what skills and capabilities employers will value in the years ahead.
As AI takes on increasingly complex intellectual tasks, what will remain uniquely human—and how should universities prepare students for that future?
Join us for a cross-sector conversation about the future of learning, knowledge, and talent in the age of AI.
| 3:30–3:35 PM | Welcome & Introduction | Opening remarks and introduction of panelists. |
| 3:35–4:05 PM | Opening perspectives | Three panelists share their perspectives from academic libraries, higher education, and industry on how AI is reshaping knowledge creation, university education, and future talent needs. |
| 4:05–4:30 PM | Moderated Panel Discussion | A cross-sector conversation exploring the future of learning, knowledge, and talent in the age of AI. |
| 4:30–4:45 PM | Audience Q&A | Audience questions, panelist responses, and closing reflections. |
Dr. Joseph (Joe) Salem — University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs, Duke University
Joseph A. Salem, Jr., is the Rita DiGiallonardo Holloway University Librarian and the Vice Provost for Library Affairs.
He is responsible for the leadership and overall management of the Duke University Libraries system, one of the nation’s top ten private research libraries, comprised of six libraries and a state-of-the-art, high-density repository. He also works closely with Duke University’s senior leadership to ensure that the Libraries’ services and collections support the academic, instructional, and research needs of faculty, students, and staff across the university.
Prior to being named head of the Duke University Libraries in 2022, Salem served as Dean of Libraries and Interim Associate Provost for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Michigan State University. A nationally recognized information literacy expert, he has published and presented widely on open educational resources, student engagement, teaching and learning, library assessment, and library management.
Salem is active in library affairs on the national level, chairing the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Research & Analytics Committee, and having served on the Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Big Collection Steering Committee and Library Director Executive Team. From 2016 to 2017, he was an Association of Research Libraries Leadership Fellow.
Salem earned his Ph.D. in evaluation and measurement, as well as a master’s of library science and master’s in literature and writing, from Kent State University.
Dr. Yisu Zhou (周忆粟) — Acting Dean of Academic Strategy and Learning Innovation; China Director, Global Higher Education Research Institute; Professor of Public Policy and Sociology, Duke Kunshan University
Dr. Yisu Zhou joined Duke Kunshan University in August 2025 as a Professor of Public Policy and Sociology, as well as IGHE China Director.
His research focus is the intersection among Education Policy, Sociology of Education, Higher Education, and Quantitative Social Science. He is especially interested in how these fields interact to shape educational outcomes and systems. His teaching interests at Duke Kunshan include Global Challenges in Science and Technology and Contemporary Chinese Societies.
He has a B.Sc. in Statistics from East China Normal University (2005) and a Ph.D. in Education Policy from Michigan State University (2012). He is a visiting fellow at the University of Chicago. Before joining Duke Kunshan University, he was an Associate Professor of Education Policy and Sociology at the University of Macau.
Dr. Chaohui Gong (龚超慧) — Founder and CEO, Shanghai BITO Intelligence Technology Co., Ltd.; PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Chaohui Gong is the co-founder and CEO of Bito Robotics. He obtained his PhD from Carnegie Mellon University with a research focus on planning and control of high-dimensional systems. He has published more than 40 world-class journal and conferences papers, including in Science and PNAS. He also holds several patents. From the year of 2015 to 2017, Chaohui Gong serves as a project scientist at the Robotics Institute at CMU and was the leader of the joint research project on robotic technologies in manufacturing environments. Chaohui Gong is also selected as “Class A” member of world AI conference. His company, BITO Robotics has been applying AI and Robotics in Manufacturing to make production more flexible and customizable.
