Task Force Meeting 4

Upcoming Events

• We’ve spoken to the Berman Institute and the DSAI about their respective efforts and upcoming events.

• We spoke last time about how many departments do not have seminars during the summer. With that in mind, PHAISE will cohost with the EPI Biostatistics Summer Institute a two-part virtual seminar on June 10 and 11 featuring Dr. Geoff Tison, a cardiologist at UCSF.

• Dr. Tison received his MPH from BSPH and is a digital cardiologist.

• This is the only event on the calendar now. Please let us know if you have any ideas for a May seminar.

• We will continue the discussions with other groups and one on one.

• Internal speakers are always a good option for sessions as well.

• Ahmed Hassoon discussed an event at NYU Medicine focusing on AI and aging scheduled for April 30th.

• Thomas Hartung mentioned a Keystone Symposium on AI in biomedicine from May 1st to 3rd.

• Brian Caffo spoke on a scheduled DSAI half-day event where staffers but not Senators are likely to be in town, tentatively set for July 19^th at 555 Penn.

Suggestions from the Task Force

• Joe Ali suggested we house other recordings of AI-related events on the PHAISE website, not just PHAISE cohosted events.

• Identifying funding opportunities related to AI research and education, with plans to list them on the website.

• Exploring the idea of inviting prominent AI skeptics, such as Judea Pearl or Noam Chomsky, for a symposium or event to provide critical perspectives on AI development.

• Suggestions for potential speakers include Tristan Harris, known for his work on the ethical implications of technology.

AI Research Day

• Attendance and Scheduling: There were concerns about attendance and scheduling due to calendar invitations. Some departments may not have seminars during certain months.

• Speaker Identification: There was an ongoing effort to identify speakers for various departments and link them to AI-related topics.

• Co-Sponsored Sessions: Discussions revolved around co-sponsored sessions with external speakers, particularly a cardiologist from UCSF focusing on practical AI applications in research.

• Poster Sessions: Suggestions were made for poster sessions during AI Research Day, allowing for networking and showcasing ongoing projects.

• Breakout Sessions: Ideas were floated for breakout sessions, possibly divided into theoretical and applied tracks, focusing on both research methodologies and practical applications of AI.

• Awards and Prizes: Suggestions included awarding prizes for poster presentations, with potential monetary awards for student/trainee presenters.

• Content and Tracks: Discussions touched upon incorporating policy, practice, and governance aspects into the event. There might be a theoretical track versus an applied track. Consideration was given to the balance between research-focused and practice-oriented presentations.

• Equity in Awards: Concerns were raised about the equity of award distribution between different types of presentations, such as research-focused versus practice-oriented talks.

• External Examples: Examples were provided of similar events organized by other institutions, such as an AI overview event organized by NYU's Institute for Aging.

Educational Activities and Curriculum Development

• There was a discussion about courses and educational opportunities related to AI, both within specific disciplines and across departments. Efforts were made to compile a list of existing courses and identify areas for further development, including workshops and specialized training sessions.

• Brian Caffo discussed challenges faced in establishing a minor in AI, particularly concerns about aligning with existing departmental curricula and avoiding confusion with other disciplines. Instead, efforts have shifted towards supporting interdisciplinary education and coordinating with external stakeholders, such as Congressional staffers and Maryland educators.

• There's a plan to schedule a DSAI half-day event where staffers but not Senators are likely to be in town, tentatively set for July 19th.

• There's a proposal to match faculty members with interns from the Diversity Summer Internship Program to provide mentorship in AI-related fields.

• Discussion around offering training and workshops, including potentially asynchronous courses on AI-related topics and lab-based training efforts.

The meeting concluded with a reminder to send along any relevant information discussed during the meeting.

Recording