AIDA Hosts First Symposia and Workshops on the Medical Campus
AIDA Hosts First Symposia and Workshops on the Medical Campus
Earlier this semester, Boston University’s Artificial Intelligence Development Accelerator brought its symposia and workshops to the Medical Campus in collaboration with the Center for Health Data Science at the Boston University School of Public Health.
These events are designed to provide faculty and staff with opportunities to explore practical applications of AI through hands-on workshops and interdisciplinary discussions. The symposium featured brief lightning talks from faculty across Boston University, as well as a guest speaker from Brown University—highlighting a wide range of ways AI is being used in research, teaching, and everyday academic work. All event recordings can be found on the Center for Health Data Science’s website.
Several speakers shared examples of how AI is being applied in health and biomedical research. For example, Noelle Saillant, Associate Professor of Surgery at Boston University’s Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, discussed Field AI Triage (FAIT), a project that uses AI to help clinicians quickly diagnose and treat patients. Other speakers described AI tools designed to support patient education, track health behaviors, and streamline aspects of clinical and public health research.
The symposium also highlighted how faculty are experimenting with AI in teaching and academic workflows. Matthew Fox, Professor in the Departments of Epidemiology and Global Health at the Boston University School of Public Health, discussed approaches to incorporating AI into his classes while emphasizing the importance of critical evaluation and human oversight. Other speakers shared practical examples using AI to assist with tasks such as coding, writing, advising, and course preparation.
The program also included an overview of BU Spark! from Ziba Cranmer, Founding Director for BU Spark! at Boston University’s Faculty of Computing & Data Sciences. As an innovation and experiential learning lab, BU Spark! connects students with real-world projects, offering support to the BU community on AI projects.
AIDA looks forward to hosting additional events across both the Charles River Campus and Medical Campus this spring. Attend the AI in the Workplace staff workshop on March 25 or the “Writing in Higher Education: What is the Role of AI?” faculty symposium on April 7.