Vanderbilt Data Science recently hosted its AI Summer Showcase, spotlighting a diverse range of student-led projects that push the boundaries of artificial intelligence. The event brought together a spectrum of disciplines—from mental health to astrophysics—with each project demonstrating how AI can be used to tackle complex, real-world challenges.
One project used deep learning to analyze predictors of peripartum depression, harnessing biological, neurophysiological, and clinical data to provide better mental health insights. This work illustrates AI’s potential to improve early detection and treatment in mental health.
Another initiative focused on legal empowerment, using generative AI to help Tennesseans plan for significant life events, such as creating advance directives. This project aims to make legal resources more accessible to the public, especially those without legal training.
In the education space, the TRANSLATE project developed AI tools to support bilingual classrooms. These tools assist both students and educators, offering lesson plan aids and student translation companions to improve learning outcomes in multilingual settings.
PosChat explored how AI can enhance emotional well-being by acting as a skill coach. The platform guides users in practicing techniques to boost positive emotions, showing how AI can have a personal and emotional impact.
Astrophysics enthusiasts were captivated by a project that applied audio transformers to detect gravitational waves. By fine-tuning models originally designed for human speech recognition, the team demonstrated how AI can be repurposed for entirely new scientific applications, like enhancing the detection of cosmic phenomena.
Health and longevity also took the stage, with a project designed to assess personal health risks and offer tailored advice for improving healthspan. This AI-powered platform provides users with insights to motivate healthier lifestyle changes and extend their active years.
These projects reflect Vanderbilt Data Science’s commitment to leveraging AI across various sectors, demonstrating the power of artificial intelligence to drive both scientific discovery and societal impact.