According to Fordham University alumnus Peter Zangari, Ph.D., FCRH ’89, Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t just another tech wave; it’s a new research workflow, a new way of learning and, increasingly, a new on-ramp to jobs. 

That’s the insight behind a $1 million gift that establishes the Zangari Family Faculty Research and Innovation Fund to support interdisciplinary AI projects across finance, economics, data science and beyond.

Zangari, who has led teams across Wall Street and is currently teaching a Fordham course on AI and financial markets, frames AI less as a magic trick and more as a multiplier. For students, Zangari says the impact will be immediate and practical.

 “AI is an uber-assistant, it makes an effective researcher, better students, enables faster and more learning and broadens perspective,” he said. 

The fund will back faculty projects that involve students and expand ties with industry, with the goal that companies “look to Fordham as a source of talent,” as reported in a Fordham Now article.

Crucially, the fund is seed capital for serious research and collaboration. Fordham’s planned Transdisciplinary Research Incubator aims to bring faculty from different fields into the same room, where AI tools can help them translate across disciplines. The incubator is aligned with Fordham’s strategic plan, which wants to put the University at “the forefront of intellectual innovation by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration.” 

The promise is speed and relevance, identifying high-value problems and delivering results on timelines measured in semesters, not decades. 

“All significant inventions change how people live over a long period of time,” Zangari said.

University leaders frame the gift as part of a broader shift. President Tania Tetlow said Fordham is “investing in research and innovation to meet today’s pressing challenges,” and thanked Zangari for helping students “become the ethical leaders in AI that our world needs,” according to the Fordham Now article. 

Zangari’s advice to students was straightforward: Be exceptional in what you’re asked to do. 

“Take advantage of this early transition and take risks while you’re young,” he said.