Three University of Utah Community Members Recognized for Responsible AI Leadership
October 12, 2026
During its third annual Symposium on Oct. 6, the University of Utah One-U Responsible Artificial Intelligence Initiative (One-U RAI) recognized three inaugural award winners who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing responsible AI.
Baoying Fu represents a new generation of scholars poised to shape her field, while Matthew Tokson brings nationally recognized expertise to urgent questions of AI, law, and privacy. Simon Brewer has built cross-campus connections and momentum around responsible AI and helped recruit two new faculty members as co-chair of the AI for Environmental Resilience Cluster Hire Committee.
Congratulations to Fu, Tokson, and Brewer on this well-deserved recognition. Read more about the awards.
Emerging Scholar in Responsible AI Award
BAOYING FU
Ph.D. student, Department of Communication
Excerpt from nomination letter:
“Baoying’s ability to translate responsible AI research into broader, transdisciplinary dialogue is truly exceptional… Her scholarly productivity is equally remarkable for a second-year Ph.D. student, featuring four peer-reviewed publications and several presentations at top national and international conferences, including a Top Student Paper Award… By generating actionable evidence on how AI outputs affect human judgment and how societal risks shape public support for governance, Baoying’s work makes vital contributions to One-U RAI's mission of building a trustworthy, human-centered AI ecosystem.”
Faculty Research Excellence in Responsible AI Award
MATTHEW TOKSON
Professor of Law, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development, and Director of the Criminal Law Program
Excerpt from nomination letter:
“Professor Tokson is a leading voice among legal scholars on issues of AI and privacy, as well as AI safety. In recent years, especially this past year, he has produced several influential articles on the law and policy of AI use and development... Artificial Intelligence and the Anti-Authoritarian Fourth Amendment, published in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law in 2025… explored how the law could check the tendencies of AI surveillance technology to facilitate and entrench authoritarianism, and to erode privacy. It also studied the widespread use of AI-based surveillance technologies in countries across the world, from China to the Middle East to the United States.”
One-U RAI Service and Leadership Award
SIMON BREWER
Professor in the School of Environment, Society & Sustainability, member of the One-U RAI Executive Committee, and co-chair of the of the AI for Environmental Resilience Cluster Hire Committee
Excerpt from nomination letter:
“Simon's efforts exemplify what sustained, high-impact service looks like. He has spent years lowering the barriers between AI expertise and the people who need it, insisting throughout on transparency, open access, and honest assessment of what the methods can and cannot do. He has advanced the vision and mission of One-U RAI in nearly every venue available to a faculty member: on its Executive Committee, in its search process, in mentoring its postdoctoral fellows and students, in his classrooms, in his collaborations, and in the time he has freely given to colleagues.”