Loni Hagen, an associate professor in the School of Information, has spent the last few months in Japan developing new research projects and collaborative opportunities between USF and the University of Tsukuba in Japan, thanks to a Fulbright Scholar Award she received this year.
Dr. Loni Hagen (center) after giving a lecture at Kyoto University, Japan. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Loni Hagen)
The Fulbright Program is a U.S. government-sponsored international academic exchange program that was started in 1946 and is meant to foster the relationships between the United States and other countries. According to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the program awards approximately 8,000 applicants each year from the United States and more than 160 countries. Applicants include students, professionals, artists, teachers and scholars from all backgrounds.
Hagen’s work is perfectly suited for this collaborative opportunity. Her research looks beyond numbers and data, focusing on human impact in the world of artificial intelligence (AI).
“My research goals involve developing a framework of devising how humans can be involved with the development and application of artificial intelligence,” Hagen said. “The research outcome will contribute to trustworthy AI development; one that is not driven merely by mathematics and technology but also by close human supervision.”
“When successful, our framework can be used as a foundation for developing protocols of AI adoption by individuals and organizations. The knowledge attained can be used to update digital literacy education materials by adding guidance regarding how humans, in different contexts and using different languages, can supervise LLM technologies to serve context-specific goals in a human-centered way.”
For Hagen, the chance to build connections is just as important as the work she’s pursuing.
“As a result of my residency in Japan, I expect to broaden my research scope and develop a sustainable relationship with University of Tsukuba,” Hagen explained.
Hagen’s residency began on July 1 and will continue through the end of the year.
Learn more about Dr. Hagen and the School of Information.