Old Dominion University (ODU) partnered with Google Public Sector to launch MonarchSphere, an artificial intelligence (AI) incubator that will embed AI across research, teaching, operations, and workforce programs. According to university officials, the effort aims to accelerate discovery, personalize learning, and expand micro-credentials tied to in-demand skills.
Revealed at Google Public Sector Summit ’25 in Washington, D.C., the multi-year initiative positions ODU as a model for AI-enabled university innovation and smart-campus operations, according to the announcement.
“This partnership with Google Public Sector marks a defining moment for Old Dominion University – demonstrating how a forward-focused, future-ready institution can harness the power of cloud and AI to reimagine learning, accelerate discovery, and expand opportunity for students and communities across higher education and beyond,” said ODU President Brian O. Hemphill.
MonarchSphere is powered by Google Cloud services, including Vertex AI; Google’s AI model family, including Gemini; and agentic AI tools. The program will serve as ODU’s centralized innovation hub.
The incubator’s early scope spans research acceleration, curriculum development, student advising, and campus operations. ODU plans to integrate Google Cloud career-pathway tools with the university catalog, develop an AI-assisted transcript evaluation tool to streamline advising for new and transfer students, and test Google Colab Enterprise so students in advanced AI courses can access graphics processing units to train deep-learning models.
“By partnering with Old Dominion University, we are creating a new model for innovation at every level – from research to student learning, to operations,” said Brent Mitchell, vice president of go-to-market for Google Public Sector. “ODU’s commitment to creating an integrated approach to AI innovation will help cultivate the next generation of leaders.”
Faculty researchers will tap Google Cloud for high-performance compute to shrink time to results for complex AI and big data projects. ODU said genomic AI training that previously took 24 to 40 days with on-premises clusters can be completed in two to three days in Google Cloud.
MonarchSphere also formalizes ODU’s participation in the Google AI for Education Accelerator. As an early member, the university will integrate no-cost Google Career Certificates and other AI training into coursework, faculty development, and workforce programs – moving beyond standalone offerings to an institution-wide framework for AI fluency.
On teaching and learning, ODU reported faster course design using Gemini Pro and Notebook LM to generate summaries, outlines, and learning materials in minutes instead of weeks. With Google Public Sector, ODU is building an AI course assistant for online and tech-enhanced classes to provide real-time guidance and feedback under a human-in-the-loop approach.
“We’ve already seen tremendous success in integrating Google Cloud technology across our institution,” said Chrysoula Malogianni, ODU’s associate vice president of innovation. “We’re focused on creating a truly integrated ecosystem where students, researchers, and faculty can harness the power of AI to solve real-world problems and build a more dynamic, responsive learning environment. We’ve moved beyond a one-size-fits-all model to create a personalized experience that equips everyone with the skills to thrive in the modern workforce.”
