The AI for Social Impact Seminar Series brings together researchers and thought leaders from a variety of fields to explore the diverse applications of artificial intelligence for a societal benefit. Through the series, the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence aims to inspire new ideas and collaborations and to identify novel approaches that can advance discovery in the field at Penn State and beyond.
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Upcoming Events
Join Saeed Abdullah, associate professor at the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology, for an upcoming talk as part of CSRAI's AI for Social Impact Seminar Series. This lecture is free and open to the Penn State community.
About the Talk
Mental health and financial stability are deeply intertwined in cyclical and bidirectional ways. Symptoms such as impulsivity and risky decision-making can compromise financial stability. Financial strain, on the other hand, can exacerbate symptoms and diminishes quality of life for individuals and their care partners. Despite its importance, this relationship between mental health and financial stability has remained difficult to characterize, as prior research has relied largely on self-reported measures of financial status and behavior. Recent advances in open banking and financial technology (fintech) now provide access to objective, granular financial data. This creates an unprecedented opportunity to assess and intervene on the interplay between money and mental health. At the same time, financial and mental health represent two highly sensitive domains, raising critical methodological, ethical, and equity challenges. In this talk, Abdullah will highlight how financial data can advance mental health research and care. He will also discuss the open questions and safeguards necessary for responsibly harnessing fintech for psychiatric services.
About the Speaker
Saeed Abdullah is an associate professor in the College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) at Penn State, where he leads the Wellbeing & Health Innovation (WHI) lab. His research focuses on the intersection of digital health and human-computer interaction. He designs and develops human-centered and data-driven technologies to improve health equity and access. He is currently working on creating supportive financial technologies for marginalized communities, including individuals with bipolar disorder and dementia. He is also leveraging generative AI for health intervention design and clinician training. His research has been recognized with a Best Paper Award at MobileHCI, an Honorable Mention at CHI, and the IST Junior Faculty Excellence Award in Research. His projects have been supported by multiple grants from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
About the AI for Social Impact Seminar Series
The AI for Social Impact Seminar Series brings together researchers and thought leaders from a variety of fields to explore the diverse applications of artificial intelligence for a societal benefit. Through the series, the Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence aims to inspire new ideas and collaborations and to identify novel approaches that can advance discovery in the field at Penn State and beyond.