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Phillip Durst

Head of AI Science at Learn Collaborate

I’m happy to say I’ve had an eclectic and wonderful professional journey spanning many projects, teams, and research areas. I started as a Research Physicist at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) back in 2009, working on autonomous and driverless vehicles. I then served as an Engineering Manager from 2018-2022 before joining Assured Information Security for a couple of years researching AI/ML for the military. After some more AI/ML military research with Bennett Aerospace from 2024-2025, I'm happy to have landed at Learn Collaborate as the Head of AI Science for what is very soon to be the best place to learn the soft skills that cannot be gained through current online learning platforms. Along the way, I taught video game design and computer vision at the Rochester Institute of Technology, freelanced as a copywriter and academic coach off-and-on since 2018, and even taught ESL to students in China during COVID. Now, I'm excited to see what adventure comes my way next.

Articles

Cover image for When More Technology in Classrooms ≠ More Student Learning
Education PK-12
When More Technology in Classrooms ≠ More Student Learning
<p class="mb-4">There is a strange new question sitting on desks across America:</p><p class="mb-4">What if the technology designed to make school bet...
August 23, 2026Read article
Cover image for The Pothole That Learned to Report Itself
Artificial Intelligence
The Pothole That Learned to Report Itself
<p class="mb-4">In San José, California, a pothole no longer waits for a resident to notice it, dial 311, describe the exact block, and hope somebody ...
August 17, 2026Read article
Cover image for Leveraging Technology for Economic Development
Economic Development
Leveraging Technology for Economic Development
<p class="mb-4">Artificial intelligence (AI) offers significant opportunities in economic forecasting and planning. By analyzing large datasets, AI ca...
August 12, 2026Read article
Cover image for What Does a Data Center in Memphis Have to Do With a Lesson Plan in Brooklyn?
Education PK-12
What Does a Data Center in Memphis Have to Do With a Lesson Plan in Brooklyn?
<h2 class="mb-4 mt-6">The Two Classrooms</h2><p class="mb-4">Picture two classrooms on the same Tuesday morning. In one, a suburban seventh grader is ...
July 25, 2026Read article
Cover image for Is Your Community AI Ready, or Just AI Curious?
Artificial Intelligence
Is Your Community AI Ready, or Just AI Curious?
<p class="mb-4">Imagine a resident calling city hall because her heat has been shut off. The employee who answers has two choices: spend twenty minute...
July 23, 2026Read article
Cover image for Skepticism Is Data: Why the Loudest Doubter in the Room Is Your Best AI Consultant
InfrastructureLeadership Perspectives
Skepticism Is Data: Why the Loudest Doubter in the Room Is Your Best AI Consultant
<p class="mb-4">Picture the scene. A new director walks into a public works meeting with a slick vendor demo, a stack of AI dashboards, and the phrase...
July 20, 2026Read article
Cover image for When the Ground Shifts, Who Builds the Bridge?
Economic Development
When the Ground Shifts, Who Builds the Bridge?
<p class="mb-4">In 2024, Chattanooga, Tennessee, once branded a "dirtiest city in America" by Walter Cronkite, welcomed a new wave of tech startups in...
July 17, 2026Read article
Cover image for The City That Bet on Fiber and Won: A New Playbook for Economic Development
Economic Development
The City That Bet on Fiber and Won: A New Playbook for Economic Development
<p class="mb-4">In 2010, Chattanooga, Tennessee did something a little crazy. The city's public utility strung gigabit fiber to every home and busines...
July 14, 2026Read article
Cover image for Ninety-Two Percent of Your Students Use AI. Do You Have a Plan Yet?
Education PK-12
Ninety-Two Percent of Your Students Use AI. Do You Have a Plan Yet?
<p class="mb-4"><strong>When the Tools Arrived Before the Rulebook</strong></p><p class="mb-4">Picture this. It is 7:42 a.m. on a Tuesday. A first-yea...
July 13, 2026Read article
Cover image for The Cities That Win: Culture, Not Code, Drives Innovation in Public Infrastructure
Infrastructure
The Cities That Win: Culture, Not Code, Drives Innovation in Public Infrastructure
<h2 class="mb-4 mt-6">Integrating Advanced Technologies into Infrastructure Management</h2><p class="mb-4"> As cities evolve, integrating advanced tec...
July 11, 2026Read article
Cover image for The New Rules of Data Centers: Transparency Sustainability and Shared Value
CybersecurityArtificial Intelligence
The New Rules of Data Centers: Transparency Sustainability and Shared Value
<p class="mb-4">The cloud feels weightless when you tap a screen, but somewhere a building is humming, pulling power, cooling servers, and shaping the...
July 10, 2026Read article
Cover image for Is Your Community Leaving Tourism Dollars on the Table?
Tourism
Is Your Community Leaving Tourism Dollars on the Table?
<p class="mb-4">The difference between a packed town square and a half-empty festival often comes down to decisions made months in advance. In many ru...
July 8, 2026Read article
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