Naomi Maloney '28 appointed as Inaugural SAID Fellow

Naomi Maloney ’28 has been named as the inaugural Student-led AI Design (SAID) Fellow for the Humanities. Majoring in Anthropology and Africana Studies, Maloney ’28 will help shape how artificial intelligence tools are integrated into library instruction with a focus on ethics, critical thinking, and academic integrity. Her role will help peers evaluate digital tools while maintaining critical thinking in research and learning. She will begin on Sept. 7, 2026.

“I am interested in the ways emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are changing how people learn, conduct research, and engage with information,” said Maloney ’28. “As AI becomes increasingly common in higher education, students need guidance on using these tools responsibly, critically evaluating their outputs, and understanding both their possibilities and limitations.”

Maloney ’28 brings a strong interdisciplinary background in qualitative research and student advocacy to the SAID fellowship. Her previous research at Bates includes an ethnographic study investigating the societal, ethical, and environmental impacts of emotional AI on undergraduates, as well as a collaborative public health project analyzing health communication strategies for young adults. In addition to her research experience, Maloney ’28 is an active leader on campus. She serves as a Residence Life Community Advisor, a Stringfellow Coordinator with the College Multifaith Chaplaincy, a Student Sports Medicine Aide for Bates Athletics, and a Kessler Scholar, a program that supports first-generation college students.

Through the SAID Fellowship, Maloney ’28 will work closely with the Humanities Librarian, library staff, and the campus community to champion human-centered, ethical approaches to technological instruction.

The SAID Fellowship for the Humanities has been generously funded by an AI Innovation Pedagogical Grant, awarded by the AI Working Group to projects that support experimental research into improving teaching and AI use throughout Bates College. This fellowship has secured funding from Aug. 2026 to Dec. 2026.

For More Information

• Marianne Williams (Research Services, Information and Library Services)
• mwillia8@bates.edu