Kyoko Amano

Kyoko Amano is the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Amano has served as dean at three institutions for nine years. A scholar of English, Amano earned her Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Binghamton. Her primary research areas focus on 19th-century American literature, with specialized expertise in the works of Louisa May Alcott and Horatio Alger, Jr. As a leader and researcher, Amano bridges traditional literary studies with contemporary pedagogical innovation in the liberal arts.

As AI reshapes the higher education landscape, the humanities face both opportunities and challenges. This presentation, titled "Issues in Bridging AI and the Humanities Teaching and Research," examines the complex intersection of AI, teaching, and research within the liberal arts, drawing on Kyoko Amano's perspective of AI as a powerful equalizer for students whose first language is not English. At the same time, she addresses the institutional realities of academic leadership--specifically, navigating faculty resistance to AI adoption. Left unaddressed, this resistance risks leaving students unequipped in AI literacy and unprepared for the demands of the modern workforce. This session aims to strategize ways to overcome humanities faculty hesitation and foster critical AI literacy in order to position the humanities as a vital participant in future workforce readiness.