From student to innovator: How Daniel Duggin transformed AI at UTC

Daniel Duggin stands in his graduation robe in front of a brick UTC sign.

Daniel Duggin will be receiving a second degree from UTC as part of the Graduate School commencement on Friday, Dec. 12. Photo by Angela Foster.

Graduate student Daniel Duggin has made his mark at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga by helping develop campus policies on artificial intelligence.

Pursuing a Master of Computer Science and graduating on Friday, Dec. 12, the Medina, Tennessee, native knew he was seeking something different in his college experience.

“When I toured UTC, all the tour guides were incredibly nice and engaging,” said Duggin, a 2024 Bachelor of Computer Science graduate. “I could see myself living somewhere like Chattanooga because it was so different from home. There’s a good mix of the city and then, of course, all the outdoor activities to do.

“It felt more like a home than any of the other places.”

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While touring, Duggin felt like he could explore his passion for computer science.

“Talking to some of the professors when I had toured here, I could tell it would be a good place to get myself established in the field that I wanted to be in,” he recalled. “I made a lot of great connections along the way, going to school here and working at UTC throughout the last several years.”

His passion for computers comes from his father, who works in the technology industry. He said it came “naturally” as a major.

“He always had me around video games and computers when I was a kid,” Duggin said. “When I was in high school, I took a couple of computer classes—and from there it was just an easy decision.”

During Duggin’s senior year as an undergraduate, he was asked by former UTC Chief Information Officer Vicki Farnsworth to join the University’s new AI initiative. In this role, he began surveying opinions about AI around campus.

“This was the spring of 2024 when ChatGPT was the big topic of conversation at UTC,” Duggin explained. “I was reaching out to different professors, some of my friends and classmates, asking if they’ve used AI, and how teachers felt about students using AI.”

From there, he met with the Student Government Association to gauge opinion. Some of the questions raised were, “How is it worth going to school?” or “Is AI going to take our jobs?”

Wanting to address these concerns directly, Duggin contacted Dr. Jules White, senior advisor for generative AI to Vanderbilt University’s chancellor, about using his AI teaching tool—Amplify.

After acquiring Amplify, the next step was to develop the most effective way to teach students this new technology.

Duggin, alongside Dr. Beni Asllani—head of the UTC Department of Data Analytics—and Associate Professor of Communication Nagwan Zahry developed a new course, titled “AI for Everyone,” which was designed to teach students about AI and various applications.

Fall 2025 was the first semester the course was offered. Duggin worked as a graduate assistant and said it was an “honor” to help students learn more about AI.

“Seeing students take the initiative on their own outside of the course has been really cool to see,” he said. “They had their AI day; seeing some of their projects, I was really proud of how far they’ve gotten throughout the course.”

Asllani said Duggin “speaks the language of students” and always goes the extra mile for the course.

“He’s unlike other students,” Asllani said. “Other students have just graduated and moved on. He likes to explore. He likes to go the next step. He always likes to be ahead of the curve.

“Getting students involved is always a good thing. Graduate assistants are a big thing. I always rely on them because they understand students’ concerns. Sometimes, for students, it’s easier to go to other students who are available all the time to try and help.”

Duggin currently works as a web developer for White at CR8.io—an AI platform for real-world applications—and hopes to continue working with AI in the future.

“I enjoy looking at data,” he said. “If a data analyst role opens up somewhere, I’d be interested in looking at that—whatever field it’s in. I would be interested in health care. That’d be a big merge between what my parents do: my dad in technology and my mom in health care. It would be cool to step into that realm.”

At CR8, he enjoys being around like-minded people interested in AI while continuing to learn more about its functions.

“I love seeing people’s faces light up when they realize all the capabilities that it has and can enhance all their workflows and do personal things,” he said.

While AI is a passion, Duggin said relationships are what he’ll remember most about his time at UTC.

“I’ve made so many friends here,” Duggin said. “Some of my best friends I met freshman year of college and we are still all extremely close to this day. It’s been a great experience here. I met my girlfriend here. Every time my parents come down to Chattanooga from West Tennessee, it’s a really good time.

“It’s been awesome professionally, but more so in my personal life. It’s been a really great place.”