person giving an academic talk to a room full of people

Distinguished Seminar Series Launches with Renowned Human-AI Teaming Expert

May 15, 2026

Human-systems Engineering for Adaptive, Real-World, & Translational Applications (HEART) Initiative at the University of Wisconsin–Madison launched its distinguished seminar series, Engineering Systems for People, with an inaugural talk by Dr. Nancy J. Cooke. Faculty, researchers, and students from across the College of Engineering and multiple UW–Madison schools attended the event on May 8. Laura Albert, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, opened the event and introduced Dr. Cooke.

person addresses a large group in an open room — Laura Albert, Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, opened the event and introduced Dr. Cooke. Photo by Bri Meyer.

Dr. Cooke is a Professor of Human Systems Engineering at Arizona State University and Senior Scientific Advisor to ASU’s Center for Human, AI, and Robot Teaming (CHART). Drawing from three decades of research, she challenged some of the field’s core assumptions about AI.

Her central provocation: designing AI to mimic human capabilities is a lost opportunity. The real goal should be AI that complements human capabilities—filling gaps rather than duplicating what people already do well. She also questioned the push toward natural language as the default interface for human-AI interaction. In high-stakes domains like military operations, expert teams have actually performed better using structured, code-based communication with AI and robots.

group of nine people posing for a group photo — Attendees of the May 8 talk, including Dr. Cooke (top row, third from right), Laura Albert (top row, right), and HEART leadership Ranjana Mehta and Tony McDonald (bottom row). Photo by Bri Meyer.

Dr. Cooke also reframed what it means to have an expert team. It isn’t a group of individually expert people or agents—it’s a team that has learned, dynamically over time, to communicate and coordinate more effectively together. AI holds its greatest promise not in building the most capable standalone system, but in helping human-machine teams collaborate and improve.

two people interacting with testing equipment — Dr. Cooke met with HFES students to chat and interact with equipment.

Beyond the lecture, Dr. Cooke met with HEART leadership to share lessons learned from building CHART at ASU, offering mentorship on how to frame and grow HEART’s activities. The UW–Madison HFES student chapter organized lab tours and a fireside chat, giving students a direct line to one of the field’s leading voices on human-AI-robot teaming.

HEART is grateful for Dr. Cooke’s generosity and looks forward to continuing the Engineering Systems for People series.

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Featured image: Dr. Nancy Cooke addresses a full room on May 8. Photo by Bri Meyer.

two people in manufacturing line with robotic arm and augmented reality

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