AI Bootcamp for Graduate Researchers

About The AI Boot Camp

The 2026 George Mason University Libraries’ AI Boot Camp for Graduate Students introduces graduate learners to essential AI literacy, responsible AI use in research and publishing, ethical considerations, data best practices, and hands-on experimentation. Sessions are flexible and standalone but include recommended sequencing for students who want a more structured progression. 

Rather than teaching technical mastery, the program emphasizes critical thinking, responsible experimentation, and intentional use of AI in research, writing, and professional practice. 

Short on time? Make Day 1 your priority.  

It sets you up with the essential skills and policies you’ll need for the more advanced tools and research applications in Day 2.    

We’re keeping this boot camp live‑only so you can get the most out of the experience. Our sessions include hands‑on activities, open discussion, and real‑time demos using AI tools — things that work best when everyone is learning together. Some examples and resources we talk about also can’t be recorded because of licensing and privacy rules. Being there in person or on Zoom gives you a chance to ask questions, try things out, and get support right when you need it. 

Learning Outcomes

By the conclusion of the boot camp, participants will reach approximately a “301-level” of AI literacy. Graduates of the program will be able to: 

• Explain foundational AI concepts (e.g., hallucination, training data, bias, and model limitations). 
• Identify and evaluate appropriate AI tools for research, teaching, and administrative contexts. 
• Apply ethical frameworks to guide responsible and transparent AI use. 
• Integrate AI intentionally into workflows to support, not replace, critical inquiry and academic integrity. 
• Engage with common critiques of generative AI use. 
• Continue developing AI literacy independently and collaboratively. 

Sessions

*Please note that registration is required for EACH session block. 

Tuesday, 18 August

Morning Block - Welcome to Base Camp: Foundations & First Skills
REGISTER TO ATTEND

• 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. | Smart AI Use at Mason: Research Ethics

Curious about how to use AI ethically in your research at Mason? This session introduces the George Mason AI Student Guidelines and walks through real‑world research scenarios, including responsible use of library databases, datasets, and AI‑powered research tools. You’ll leave with practical strategies for ethical, transparent, and policy‑aligned AI use in graduate‑level research and publishing.

• 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | AI and Organizing and Managing Data

This session will address considerations and practical strategies for managing, organizing, and documenting research data while accounting for reproducibility and sensitive data.

• 11:30 a.m. to12:15 p.m. | Critical Evaluation of AI Outputs

Methods to assess accuracy, bias, and limitations in AI-generated outputs, with verification checklists you can reuse.

Afternoon Block - Skill-Building Workshops
REGISTER TO ATTEND

• 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Prompt Engineering for Research & Writing

Foundational prompting patterns to support literature synthesis, comparison tables, method summaries, and drafting with attribution.

• 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. | AI, Library Resources, and Academic Publishing 

When AI tools are part of your research and writing process, it's essential to understand what license terms apply to the Libraries’ resources you rely on. This session will also walk through typical academic publisher policies for authors around AI use, so you'll know what to expect when you're ready to submit your work to a journal.  

Wednesday, 19 August

Morning Block - Discovery Camp Workshops
REGISTER TO ATTEND

• 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. | AI in Scholarly Literature Discovery & Review

Explore techniques and tools that use AI to discover, cluster, and summarize scholarly literature while preserving search quality. This session will introduce students to AI‑enhanced features within Mason‑licensed databases as well as popular research discovery tools such as Consensus, Semantic Scholar, and other emerging platforms. Participants will learn practical strategies for responsibly integrating AI into literature searching, source evaluation, and review workflows. 

• 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | AI and Data Analysis Essentials

What happens when you ask AI to help with your data analysis?  Is it reliable or not? During which parts of the data analysis process is AI most useful? This session will cover basic steps for understanding the best use of AI for data analysis. 

• 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Research Integrity and AI: Principles for Responsible Use

This session will take a broad view of the intersection between responsible use of AI and research integrity. The Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) will highlight general principles researchers should consider when engaging with AI to ensure they are using it responsibly and ethically, as well as risks associated with the use of AI. 

Afternoon Block - Trailblazer Workshops
REGISTER TO ATTEND

• 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Research Integrity and AI: Resources for Responsible Use 

Moving from the broad view of responsible use of AI to specific issues, the Office of Research Integrity and Assurance (ORIA) will discuss specific areas where AI use can compromise research integrity. ORIA will focus on topics related to credit and authorship, privacy and data management, and researcher and data bias. We will review resources (i.e., tools, checklists, university offices) available to researchers to help them engage with AI responsibly and minimize risks.

• 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. | Beyond the Chat Window: Practical AI Tools for Real Research Tasks

Overview of AI tools beyond chat interfaces—planning, analysis, visualization, and coding support—with fit‑for‑purpose guidance.

Thursday, 20 August

Field Day
REGISTER TO ATTEND

• 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. | AI Test Kitchen: Guided Prompt Exploration

Curious about how different prompts shape AI outputs? In this hands‑on session, students will experiment with structured prompts, compare results side‑by‑side, and learn how small changes in wording can significantly impact AI responses. Zoom‑friendly guidance and live examples will help demystify effective, intentional prompt design for academic and creative work.

• 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. | Building Your Personal AI Research Practice

You’ve experimented with AI—now it’s time to make it work for you! This session helps you build a personal, sustainable AI research practice that fits your discipline, values, and long‑term goals. You’ll leave with practical templates and examples you can immediately use to document, refine, and defend your AI use in real research contexts.

• 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Hands‑On with PatriotAI (Microsoft Tools)

Wondering how to use AI tools that are actually approved and supported at Mason? This hands‑on session introduces PatriotAI and Microsoft‑supported enterprise AI tools, with a guided demo focused on secure, responsible research use. Learn what these tools can (and shouldn’t) do, and how to use them confidently without putting your data or work at risk.