ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AT NORTHWESTERN

Vispi, a PhD candidate in the Mechanical Engineering Department, specializes in the development of Digital Twin technology. At the IDEAL lab under the guidance of Professor Wei Chen, his research is centered on machine learning and data science algorithms tailored for manufacturing and remanufacturing challenges. He delves deep into time-series based machine learning models that are dynamic and decision-centric. Born and raised in Pune, India, Vispi possesses a keen interest in the formulation and application of these algorithms to resolve intricate engineering problems. Furthermore, he's passionate about understanding the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in shaping both our present and future. 

Charles is a fourth-year doctoral candidate in the School of Education and Social Policy's Learning Sciences program. His research interests include critical digital literacies and pedagogies; how educators and students resist, refuse, and reimagine educational technologies; and designing learning experiences to support educational dignity. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, Charles taught high school English and then worked as a university educational technologist. 

Morgan is a MSJ candidate at the Medill School of Journalism, specializing in Media Innovation and Content Strategy. She is the 2023-2024 American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE) Scholar. Morgan is interested in the role of AI in journalism — specifically how AI will impact the way we produce and consume news, how newsrooms can use AI tools to improve content creation and audience engagement, and the challenge of protecting the efficacy of news in the face of AI. Prior to beginning her master’s degree, Morgan worked at The Wall Street Journal as a platform editor for the mobile app and desktop homepage. She graduated from Emory University in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Media Studies.  

Sachita is a PhD student in the Technology and Social Behavior program, working in the Computational Journalism Lab. She builds and evaluates interactive, user-centered interfaces that leverage AI and ML to support journalists in their day-to-day tasks. Her research has explored how such systems can incorporate journalistic values, influence professional practices, and support the societal and ethical responsibilities of the profession.  

Tim is a PhD student in the Health Science (Health & Biomedical Informatics) program at the Feinberg School of Medicine. With his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science and data science, he worked as an R&D software engineer in the healthcare industry for 6 years. In this role, Tim was developing medical software applications and leading innovation and AI initiatives in the area of digital health. His research interests are at the intersection of medical interoperability and clinical decision support by leveraging cutting-edge AI capabilities. Tim comes from Germany and is a big sports fan, playing soccer and tennis himself but also loves trying out any new kinds of sports. 

Xizhao is a PhD candidate in the Managerial Economics and Strategy program at the Kellogg School of Management. Her research lies in economics of innovation where she currently studies patent disclosure, human capital in innovation, and technology adoption within firms. Xizhao was born and raised in Chengdu, China. 

Yuhua is a PhD student in the Psychology Department. She has been a member of the Creative Cognition Lab led by Dr. Mark Beeman since in 2019. Her research focuses on the brain basis of higher-level cognitive functions such as problem-solving, creative thinking, and decision making. Prior to her graduate study in psychology, Yuhua spent 12 years in the financial industry conducting quantitative research and managing investment portfolios. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Fudan University (Shanghai, China) and a doctoral degree from Purdue University, both in Mathematics. Yuhua is excited about bringing in mathematical modeling and machine learning techniques to brain research that has implications to better performance in everyday life.