Summer Series 2025
Tech Talks
Bite-Sized Sessions. Big-Time Impact.
Hosted by HR’s Talent Development team and the Innovative Learning Center (ILC), Tulane’s Tech Talks Summer Series is your go-to hub for quick, practical learning designed to fit your schedule and boost your skills. Running throughout the summer, this series offers 45-minute sessions led by Tulane experts, covering topics like AI in the workplace, Excel mastery, and Tulane-specific tools and resources. Whether you're a manager or staff member, each session delivers focused, actionable insights to help you work smarter with the tech tools you use every day.
Need approval to attend? Download this permission request template to discuss your participation in the Summer Tech Talks with your supervisor.
Tech Talk Recordings
Topics focus on practical tools and tech skills to support your everyday work.
Catch up on Tech Talks you missed here!
Are you interested in viewing a Tech Talk recording, but you are not a Tulane staff or faculty member? Email talentdev@tulane.edu with the session recording you’d like to view.
TUTech Toolkit
Speaker: Bobbie Garner-Coffie
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: In today's rapidly evolving work landscape, leveraging the right technology is crucial for career efficiency and performance. This session is designed for academic and operational employees seeking to improve their digital literacy, enhance their tech toolkits, and boost their performance. Learn what digital tools are available at Tulane and how to incorporate them into your projects, initiatives, or day-to-day tasks. This workshop is hosted by Tulane Information Technology (IT) and the Innovative Learning Center (ILC).
| Watch the Recording |
TUTech: AI 9 to 5
Speaker: Blaine Fisher
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: In today’s fast-paced work environment, integrating AI tools into daily routines is essential for maximizing productivity and efficiency. This session will provide attendees with a practical guide on using AI tools to streamline their workday. By introducing participants to each tool, this presentation will showcase how AI can optimize tasks ranging from meetings to research, brainstorming, and content creation. The rationale behind this session is to empower professionals with actionable knowledge and strategies that harness AI's potential to make work more efficient, allowing them to focus on high-value tasks and maintain work-life balance.
| Watch the Recording |
AI: So, What's Next?
Speaker: Knud Berthelsen
Skill Level: Intermediate / Advanced
What to Expect: You have some experience working with AI, probably ChatGPT, but how can you take it to the next level? Also, what is next for AI? Where are we heading? In this session, we will explore some intermediate AI use and demonstrate some of the latest AI capabilities.
| Watch the recording |
AI Demystified: Navigating the Future
Speaker: Amanda Fennell
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: This session demystifies AI, exploring its everyday presence and impact on the workplace. We'll cover practical AI applications, discuss working alongside AI, debunk common misconceptions, and look at the future of AI from a practical perspective.
| Watch the Recording |
Excel Mastery: Intermediate Tools for Everyday Data
Speaker: Cathy Chavez Tsagournos
Skill Level: Intermediate
What to Expect: This session focuses on intermediate Excel skills that support everyday data tasks. You’ll explore functions, formulas, conditional formatting, and pivot tables. Designed for those who already spend their work day in spreadsheets, this session emphasizes practical applications and time-saving techniques to help you work more efficiently with data.
| Watch the Recording |
Excel Mastery: Advanced Features and Integrations
Speaker: Chance Sweat
Skill Level: Advanced
What to Expect: This advanced Excel session introduces powerful tools like XLOOKUP, Solver, and advanced formula and function uses. You’ll learn how to enhance your data analysis and streamline complex workflows using Excel’s more advanced capabilities. Ideal for those ready to explore what’s possible beyond the fundamentals.
| Watch the recording |
Intro to Adobe Creative Cloud
Speakers: Adobe & Innovative Learning Center (ILC) teams
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: Unlock your creative potential and boost your productivity with Adobe Creative Cloud! This session is perfect for Tulane faculty and staff who want to explore how Adobe Creative Cloud apps can enhance their work, from designing presentations and reports to creating engaging digital content. You’ll also learn how to access Tulane’s Adobe license and take advantage of built-in resources like Adobe Express, Adobe Firefly generative AI, and Adobe Stock for high-quality images. Whether you're a beginner or looking to sharpen your skills, this session will help you maximize Adobe Creative Cloud in your day-to-day.
| Watch the recording |
Intro to Research Technology Services
Speaker: Stephen Oglesby
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: In this session, we’ll give you a broad overview of the research technology support and services available to Tulane researchers. Topics include data storage options, research software, and consultation services for specialized needs. Discover how Tulane IT can help streamline your workflow and bolster your research projects.
| Watch the Recording |
Dive into Qualtrics
Speaker: Shannon Aicklen
Skill Level: Beginner / Intermediate
What to Expect: Discover how to access and use Tulane’s free Qualtrics platform in this 45-minute session designed especially for beginner and intermediate skill levels. You’ll learn how to create surveys, analyze data, and generate reports that support your work and decision-making. While the session is geared toward those newer to Qualtrics, more experienced users are welcome to attend, connect with colleagues, and share their own tips. Whether you're just getting started or looking for a refresher, this session will help you explore how Qualtrics can streamline your data collection and elevate your projects.
| Watch the Recording |
Maximizing Collaboration with Microsoft Teams at Tulane
Speaker: Shanna Harper
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: Ready to make some waves in your daily communication? Join us to explore how Tulane's Office of Strategic Summer Programs uses Microsoft Teams to stay connected, organized, and aligned! This session will provide a behind-the-scenes look at how Teams can support project planning, document sharing, and productivity; Teams is so much more than just instant messaging and virtual meetings. Whether you're a Teams rookie or looking to get new ideas, you'll walk away with practical insights and examples for your team.
| Watch the Recording |
AI Tools & Resources to Power Your Tech Toolkit
Speaker: Rebekah Allred, LinkedIn
Skill Level: General
What to Expect: Close out our Summer Tech Talks Series with a hands-on session focused on AI-driven tools and resources that support all program topics—including Excel, Teams, Adobe, and Qualtrics—hosted and delivered via LinkedIn Learning. We’ll highlight practical solutions to streamline workflows, automate tasks, and integrate platforms, empowering you to maximize productivity across your digital toolkit. Join us to discover essential resources and actionable strategies for getting the most out of your tech stack, all within the LinkedIn Learning environment.
| Recording coming soon |
