Dean Linda Aldoory and Hamoon Hedayat
A generous gift from Hamoon Hedayat and Nancy Hedayat makes them the first individuals to establish a fund dedicated to artificial intelligence research at AU. The Hedayat Fund will jumpstart the College’s vision for an interdisciplinary hub for generative AI scholarship. This gift counts towards American University’s historic Change Can’t Wait Campaign goal of $500 million.
The Hedayat Fund will play a crucial role in building the College’s capacity for research, education, and partnerships focused on responsible generative artificial intelligence. It will support advancements in key areas of impact, including digital and AI ethics, data privacy and security, government policy, environmental and biomedical advances, and public education on AI tools.
“This gift marks a significant step forward in preparing students for a future that’s increasingly shaped by AI,” says College of Arts and Sciences Dean Linda Aldoory. “The gift is seeding my vision for a hub of research activity that immerses students in experiential training. Thanks to the Hedayat Fund, the College is poised to lead in AI education, ethics, and innovation.”
Sparking Innovation and Groundbreaking Research
Hamoon and Nancy Hedayat have enjoyed a long relationship with American University. Hamoon attended AU’s International Communication master’s program in 1993, and he has served on the College Advisory Board for eight years. Nancy, an active volunteer for various early childhood education programs in the DC area, served on the AU Parent Leadership Council for five years. They are the proud parents of three AU graduates. This gift reflects the couple’s ongoing dedication to enriching and advancing the experiences of American University students.
“Artificial intelligence is poised to become an integral part of every aspect of our lives,” says Hamoon. “Universities must equip students not only to harness its power across various fields but also to use it responsibly. This fund is our commitment to ensuring that future generations are prepared for this transformation and can contribute to a world where AI serves humanity in ethical and impactful ways.”
Hamoon is an accomplished sales executive and leader who has led large teams providing enterprise software solutions to the telecommunications, financial services, and healthcare industries. He currently serves as a Key Account Director in the Google Cloud Platform team. Prior to Google, he served at Oracle as a Group VP in a variety of cloud, software, and consulting sales roles since 1997. Prior to joining Oracle, Hamoon was a Manager at Price Waterhouse, where he played a critical leadership role in some of the biggest imaging system implementation projects, and at General Electric, where he was an Edison Engineer developing software for the GE database engine.
To help launch the fund and spark innovation, Hamoon will host Aldoory and a group of College faculty and staff at Google DC this summer. The goal is to brainstorm partnership potential and gain insights directly from industry leaders who will share their vision for building higher-ed programs in generative AI research.
A Future with AI Benefiting Humanity
The Hedayats’ generous contribution will ensure that the College is at the forefront of interdisciplinary AI research, shaping a future where technology benefits all of humanity. The College vision for the AI hub will not only enhance College academic and research capabilities but also create meaningful impacts on society by advancing ethical AI tools and systems.
The work has already begun across departments and disciplines, ranging from the study of ethics and responsible AI, to the role of artificial intelligence in economics and policymaking, to ways of harnessing AI for the greater good, from the detection of chemical weapons to job creation, innovation, productivity, health, and the environment.
For More Information
Stay tuned for more updates as we develop this exciting new hub for generative AI research and education at the College of Arts and Sciences! For more information about donating and becoming a partner in this exciting effort, please contact Michael Scott at mjscott@american.edu.
Change Can’t Wait: The Campaign for American University empowers our community to take on society’s most complex challenges. With a $500 million goal, Change Can’t Wait creates transformative educational opportunities for students, advances research with impact, and builds stronger communities locally, nationally, and globally. Why us? Changemaking is in our DNA. Why now? We know change can’t wait.
