2026 Lecture Series preview: Human insights and Earth science in the age of AI with Dr. Laura Condon

When scientists talk about the future of understanding our planet, artificial intelligence sometimes takes center stage. For Dr. Laura Condon, a professor in the University of Arizona's Department of Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences, the real story is not about machines replacing humans, it’s about human insight remaining essential, even as technology advances.

In her upcoming talk in the College of Science Lecture Series on February 25, 2026. Condon will explore how new computational tools are transforming Earth systems science while emphasizing why human reasoning, curiosity, and judgment still matter more than ever. 

AI and machine learning are already deeply embedded in modern Earth science research. Condon works on projects that stimulate the entire hydrology of the contiguous United States, efforts that generate enormous, highly complex datasets. 

“AI is really powerful at finding patterns in large amounts of data which is all over the place in Earth science,” she said. 

While her models are primarily physics based, machine learning is used at multiple stages, from processing inputs to improving calibration and interpreting outputs. These tools have led to rapid improvements in forecasting and prediction. 

“We’re at a crossroads,” Condon said. “Using AI tools is going to help us get better forecasts, and that is already happening. I think the danger is that if we don’t use them carefully, they could start replacing what we do in terms of building understanding. If we’re just getting to a better forecast and we’re not building understanding along the way, that’s not going to help us get to the further out things that we need to do.”

Condon's lecture will trace the history of Earth science discovery, showing how progress has always been driven by humans asking questions and building knowledge incrementally over generations. 

“Science is about creating building blocks of understanding that you can build upon,” she said. “The point is not that we shouldn’t use AI, the point is that we need to use AI in a way that we’re still building scientific understanding because that’s how we can really move forward.” 

Ultimately, Condon hopes the audience leave her lecture with a sense of awe and responsibility. 

“We don’t start from scratch,” she said. “We start from centuries of shared scientific understanding.” 

That accumulated knowledge underpins modern life in ways that often go unnoticed, from smartphones to weather forecasts. While AI offers powerful new tools, Condon said that there are still major unknowns about how Earth works. 

“Now is the time,” she says. “AI can help us figure it out as long as we do it right.” 

Dr. Condon will present this lecture as part of the 2026 Lecture Series on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at Centennial Hall. To get free tickets to this year’s series, click here.