FTI 2026: Full Schedule

We’e so excited you’re joining us for the FTI! We encourage you to provide feedback on sessions and engage in some friendly competition with our 2026 FTI Game!

You will be able to validate your attendance (Check-In to sessions) using your personal schedule.

9:00am PDT

The "Vibe" Shift

Tuesday May 19, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Albany 207

Start thinking like an innovator! In this session, we explore "vibe coding"—the shift from rigid syntax to natural language instructions that drive powerful software. We’ll demystify how AI translates your "intent" into functional logic, setting the stage for a new era of academic agency where your ideas are the primary currency.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Tuesday May 19, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

10:00am PDT

Mapping out the "User Story."

Tuesday May 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Albany 207

Every great tool starts with a clear narrative, not a line of code. You will map out the "User Story" for your dream academic application, breaking down complex tasks into a logical, step-by-step blueprint. By the end of this hour, you’ll have a structural foundation ready for the AI to breathe life into.

Pre-design template (make a copy)

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Tuesday May 19, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

2:00pm PDT

The Ethics of AI Tools

Tuesday May 19, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Online (Zoom)

If you didn’t write the code yourself, who owns the responsibility when things go sideways? We’ll dive into the critical intersection of AI, FERPA compliance, and data security to ensure your bespoke tools remain safe for student and institutional use. This session provides the essential guardrails you need to innovate without compromising privacy or academic integrity.

Slide Deck

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Tuesday May 19, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Online (Zoom)

Build a Tool

9:00am PDT

Mastering the "System Prompt"

Wednesday May 20, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Albany 207

Precision in language is the new high-level programming. Learn to use the CRAFT framework to build "System Prompts" that turn a generic AI into a specialized academic assistant. We’ll practice the art of giving the AI a persona and a purpose so it stops guessing and starts delivering exactly what your specific discipline requires.

Slide Deck

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Wednesday May 20, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

10:00am PDT

The First Spark

Wednesday May 20, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Albany 207

It’s time to move from planning to production by providing your first major prompt to your chosen "vibe coding" platform. Witness your architectural blueprint transform into a functional prototype in real-time as you engage in the iterative "Talk-to-Code" loop. This is the "magic moment" where your conceptual logic becomes a tangible, clickable reality.

Doc link

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Wednesday May 20, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

11:15am PDT

UI/UX for Non-Designers

Wednesday May 20, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT

Albany 207

A powerful tool is only useful if people actually enjoy using it. We’ll explore the essentials of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX) designed specifically for the academic environment. Learn how to refine your tool’s look and feel so it’s intuitive, accessible, and—dare we say—a pleasure for your students and colleagues to navigate.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Wednesday May 20, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

9:00am PDT

The API Economy

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Albany 207

No app is an island, and in this session, we’ll explore how bespoke tools "talk" to the software you already use every day. We’ll demystify the API economy, showing you how to bridge the gap between your custom creations and external data sources, including using Google App Script to use Sheets and Docs as the back end to your app. Discover how to create a connected ecosystem that automates your most tedious manual workflows.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Thursday May 21, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

10:00am PDT

Deployment, Troubleshooting & Edge Cases

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Albany 207

Real-world software rarely works perfectly on the first try, especially when the "vibe" gets lost in translation. This deep dive focuses on hardening your prototype by identifying "edge cases" and learning how to troubleshoot AI-generated errors. You’ll leave with a resilient tool that can handle the unpredictable reality of classroom and research environments.

Troubleshooting Cheat Sheet

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Thursday May 21, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

11:15am PDT

So What is Claude Code?

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT

Albany 207

We'll talk about Claude Code's capabilities, and hopefully do some live demos.

Some links:
Ezra Klein and Jack Clark podcast: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-jack-clark.html?unlocked_article_code=1.kFA._104.90mYoqHW9H7q&smid=url-share

Lillian Cassell's Chemistry project documentation: https://github.com/LC-Chemistry/PropertiesOfPorphyrinNanorods

Solitaire Game from demo (hopefully): https://jeremymcwilliams.github.io/solitaire-demo/

Speakers

Jeremy McWilliams

Head of Digital Services, Watzek Library, Lewis & Clark College

Programming, LAMP stack stuff, Omeka, Wordpress, R/Quarto, Data Science, Alma/Primo/Angular customizations

Thursday May 21, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

9:00am PDT

AI for Documentation

Friday May 22, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Albany 207

The best tools are useless if nobody knows how they work or how to fix them. We’ll use AI to instantly generate clear, professional documentation for your new app, classroom gems, or departmental procedures. Turn the most dreaded part of any project into a quick win so your innovations can outlast the summer institute.

Slide Deck

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Friday May 22, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

10:00am PDT

Prototype Polishing

Friday May 22, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT

Albany 207

In this final sprint, you’ll apply the finishing touches to your prototype before sharing it with the rest of the institute attendees. We’ll focus on stability, clarity, and the "pitch" of your tool to ensure it’s ready for its debut at our celebratory lunch showcase. This is your time to iron out the last few kinks and prepare to wow your peers with what you’ve built.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Friday May 22, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

11:15am PDT

Determining Next Steps

Friday May 22, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT

Albany 207

The institute might be ending, but your tool’s journey is just beginning. We’ll map out a realistic path forward, discussing how to collaborate with IT and student workers to move your prototype into a production-ready state. Let’s ensure the momentum you’ve built translates into long-term impact for your teaching, your research, and your sanity.

Speakers

Elizabeth Young

Enterprise Applications Developer/Administrator, Lewis & Clark College

Friday May 22, 2026 11:15am - 11:45am PDT
Albany 207 615 S Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219, USA

Build a Tool

9:00am PDT

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2:00pm PDT

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11:15am PDT

9:00am PDT

10:00am PDT

11:15am PDT

9:00am PDT

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11:15am PDT

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