Iona to Host Acclaimed Philosopher of Artificial Intelligence Dr. Shannon Vallor to Explore Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking
Please join us for this culminating Presidential Speaker Series event on April 22
New Rochelle, N.Y. – Iona University is proud to welcome Shannon Vallor, Ph.D., an acclaimed technology ethicist and philosopher of artificial intelligence, for the culminating Driscoll Lecture in the Presidential Speaker Series.
In addition to her own research on the human dimensions of emerging technologies, Vallor is a prominent advisor for policymakers and industry on the ethical design and use of AI. She is the author of “The A.I. Mirror: How to Reclaim Our Humanity in an Age of Machine Thinking” and “Technology and the Virtues: A Philosophical Guide to a Future Worth Wanting.”
Vallor’s talk will challenge the audience to ponder whether the technological future is being shaped for us, or if instead, it can be shaped by us to promote human flourishing.
Event Details:
- Date: April 22, 2025
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Location: Iona University, 715 North Avenue, New Rochelle, N.Y., Romita Auditorium
- Walk-ins are welcome, but registration is recommended. RSVP here.
- Refreshments will be served.
Vallor is director of the Centre for Technomoral Futures at the Edinburgh Futures Institute (EFI) at the University of Edinburgh and holds the Baillie Gifford Chair in the Ethics of Data and Artificial Intelligence. She also leads the MSc in Data and AI Ethics program. Her lifelong fascination with computing, robotics and space travel has shaped her vision of a more humane future through ethical technology practices.
About the Presidential Speaker Series
This talk is sponsored by the Gabelli Center for Teaching & Learning and is part of a series conceived by President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., to bring world-renowned thinkers to Iona and inspire community-wide conversations.
Past speakers have included Jeffrey Saviano ’89, a partner at EY Consulting; Dr. Tom Chatfield, a British author, tech philosopher and educator; and Princeton University Professor Dr. D. Graham Burnett, a leading voice on the historical and philosophical dimensions of attention. The series has been instrumental in sparking discussions about pressing issues in today’s world regarding AI, technology and teaching and learning.
To learn more or RSVP, please visit the Presidential Speaker Series website.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of more than 50,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 5 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review recognized Iona’s on-campus MBA program as a “Best Business School for 2024.” Iona also offers a fully online MBA program for even greater flexibility. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.