EQ-AI 2401: Empowering Resilient Leadership
This course focuses on helping individuals build both personal and professional resilience by integrating emotional intelligence (EQ)—the ability to understand and manage emotions—with artificial intelligence (AI) tools for enhanced clarity and decision-making. This course is designed for individuals across disciplines who are curious about how AI can support emotional intelligence and leadership — whether leading teams, projects, or their own personal growth journey. No mathematical or technical background is required.
Moving beyond theory, participants engage in hands-on practices that guide in identifying emotional patterns, intentionally managing time and energy, and utilizing AI as a supportive resource. Interactive workshops cover essential topics, including clarifying personal and team vision, designing emotionally supportive user experiences (Emotional UX), mapping energy for greater productivity, and cultivating calm and effective communication.
This course speaks to a multidisciplinary audience with interest in AI (no mathematical/scientific prerequisites required).
Course Contents
-
AI Vision Boarding Workshop
Mapping future identity within evolving scientific ecosystemsEmotional UX & Leadership Attractors – Q&A
Aligning personal purpose with systemic impact
-
Golden Coins™ and Energy Mapping
Time and energy mapping within multi-layered systems; inner sustainability and resilience
AI-Augmented Productivity & Resilience
Application of AI tools for dynamic productivity and priority architecture
-
Build Your Calm Voice GPT™
Personalized AI allies to support decision-making, self-dialogue, and clarity under pressureEmotional UX Meets Prompt Engineering
Communicating under stress with calm clarity; coherence in multi-agent, high-complexity systems
-
Project Framing: Real-World Leadership Challenges
Apply emotional, AI, and systems insights to challenges in science, healthcare, climate, and beyondCo-Creation Studio
Develop leadership artifacts: vision pitches, protocols, intervention prototypes, or AI-supported reflections
-
Refinement & Peer Integration Lab
Review and iterate projects with emotional-system alignmentShowcase & Reflection Circle
Final presentations and development of personal resilience protocols
Your Instructors
Drs. Ayse Cinar and Stephane Bilodeau
Schedule and Timing
All teaching sessions will be recorded and shared to ensure flexible access for participants across time zones and schedules. Learners can choose their preferred delivery style—whether attending 100% live, selecting a hybrid approach with a mix of live and pre-recorded sessions, or opting for fully pre-recorded content paired with live engagement blocks. The course also includes mentoring and coaching opportunities, structured progress measurement, and a warm-up session designed to support participants before the official start of the program.
This course will run across five weeks, with live sessions held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please mark your calendar and set aside additional time each week for self-paced learning.
Tuesdays, 10:00–11:30 AM EST: Core learnings and webinars
Thursdays, 10:00–11:00 AM EST: Workshops and class conversations
Course Dates: September 9 – October 9, 2025
Early Bird Pricing Ends: August 5, 2025
Early Bird prices are as follows:
Corporate - $499
Government/NGO - $499
Individual - $459
Student/Academic - $409*
*Must use college or university email address to receive this rate
Scholarship Application Window
Scholarship Applications Close: August 19, 2025
To apply for a scholarship, click here.
Questions? Contact us at programs@necsi.edu.
Abstract
The EQAI course centers on cultivating inner alignment while navigating external complexity through the use of AI-EQ synchronicity and provides practical tools for developing a confident leadership presence, making it accessible and valuable for people from all backgrounds who want to lead teams or themselves more effectively in today’s complex world and beyond
Dr. Ayse Basak Cinar
Dr. Ayse Basak Cinar is an award-winning Leadership & Wellbeing Coach and AI-EQ Strategist, known for helping women leaders in science, tech, and healthcare lead with strategic calm, resilience, and clarity. With over two decades of international experience, she brings a unique blend of scientific depth, emotional intelligence, and visionary thinking to the evolving landscape of leadership.
An Honorary Lecturer at the University of Dundee and former faculty at the University of Copenhagen, Dr. Cinar holds advanced degrees in public health and health systems, alongside certifications in mental fitness, stakeholder-centered coaching, and AI-powered leadership. A TEDx speaker and trusted advisor, she combines neuroscience, behavioural change, and cutting-edge AI insights to empower future-fit, emotionally intelligent leaders who thrive — not just survive — in complexity.
Dr. Ayse Basak Cinar Linkedin
Dr. Stéphane Bilodeau
Dr. Stéphane Bilodeau is an engineer, a cleantech entrepreneur, and a recognized expert in technology, education, and community leadership, with extensive experience driving innovation and fostering collaborative initiatives. Dr. Bilodeau plays an active role in the World Health Network and the Integrated Bioscience and Built Environment Consortium, contributing to sustainability, resilience, and global health improvement, as well as public engagement.
He is also affiliated with the Bioengineering Department at McGill University and with the New England Complex Systems Institute (NECSI), where he leverages his expertise to support academic and community-oriented projects. His multifaceted background reflects a strong commitment to advancing both technological and educational excellence.