{"627578":{"#nid":"627578","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Jill Watson Now Fielding Questions on New AI-enabled Research Tool","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA new artificially intelligent (AI) research tool that harnesses the power of the Smithsonian Institution\u0026rsquo;s massive\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/eol.org\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EEncyclopedia of Life\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(EOL) ecological database debuted this semester at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/vera.cc.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Evirtual ecological research assistant, known as VERA\u003C\/a\u003E, was developed at Georgia Tech and enables students to perform virtual experiments to explain existing ecological systems or to predict possible outcomes based on variables they input into the tool.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGetting to Know VERA\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;People using VERA have access to the EOL and can test a hypothesis using countless organisms, make as many changes to variables as they want, and study the effects on any ecosystem through real-time modeling,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sungeun-an-89730063\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ESungeun An\u003C\/strong\u003E, human-centered computing Ph.D. student\u003C\/a\u003E and lead developer of the AI system.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;This is a unique opportunity that doesn\u0026rsquo;t exist anywhere else.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough the EOL has extensive data entries for more than two million species, An says that VERA has an intuitive user interface and design that is relatively easy to use.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Students don\u0026rsquo;t need extensive scientific knowledge or programming and math skills to use VERA. They can build a conceptual model with simple visual cues on the computer screen, such as dragging elements or selecting input options,\u0026rdquo; said An.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Ch4\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECombining the Strength\u0026nbsp;of Two AIs\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/h4\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHowever, to get the most out of VERA, An says there can be a learning curve.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ETo flatten the\u0026nbsp;curve and help students optimize their experience with VERA, An and her fellow researchers turned to\u0026nbsp;Jill Watson, the \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/if-your-teacher-sounds-like-a-robot-you-might-be-on-to-something-1462546621\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Efamed AI-enabled virtual teaching assistant (TA) that premiered in 2016\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;supporting Georgia Tech\u0026rsquo;s \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.omscs.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eonline Master of Science in Computer Science (OMSCS) program\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJill Watson\u0026nbsp;answers student questions about VERA via the collaborative messaging app, Slack. These range from technical questions about the tool \u0026ndash; \u0026ldquo;How do I add a new project\u0026rdquo; \u0026ndash; to subject matter questions \u0026ndash; \u0026ldquo;What is consumption rate?\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Leveraging the Jill Watson virtual TA and VERA together is a powerful demonstration of how to scale technology to serve more populations and provide access to the world\u0026rsquo;s scientific knowledge,\u0026rdquo; said\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/people\/ashok-goel\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EAshok Goel\u003C\/strong\u003E, professor of Interactive Computing\u003C\/a\u003E and director of the \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/dilab.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EDesign \u0026amp; Intelligence Lab, which created both AI agents\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECombining the strength of the two AI agents, said Goel, is part of \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/emprize.gatech.edu\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Ean intentional approach to rethinking instructional design for online learning\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;VERA is a significant advancement for artificial intelligence in science education and meant to be used anywhere by anyone interested in science exploration, so making it as accessible as possible is key to the system\u0026rsquo;s adoption,\u0026rdquo; Goel said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EStudents and others using VERA \u0026ndash; it\u0026rsquo;s also publicly available\u0026nbsp;and linked on the Smithsonian\u0026rsquo;s EOL homepage \u0026shy;\u0026ndash; can learn more through\u0026nbsp;a \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLwXogtSxXaLCP4AXU_VFUP92TVmotGLMv\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Evideo series produced by Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe videos demonstrate VERA\u0026rsquo;s capabilities using kudzu growth in the southeastern United States as an example. The videos are co-hosted by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.emilygweigelphd.com\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EEmily Weigel\u003C\/strong\u003E, School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/a\u003E instructor for the biology course using VERA, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cc.gatech.edu\/fac\/Spencer.Rugaber\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECollege of Computing faculty member \u003Cstrong\u003ESpencer Rugaber\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EVERA research is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, #NSF-1636848.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor more information about Georgia Tech\u0026#39;s emPRIZE, contact\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jpreston@cc.gatech.edu?subject=Jill%20Watson%20Helping%20With%20Questions%20on%20New%20Research%20AI\u0022\u003EJoshua Preston, research communications manager\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":"","field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"A new AI-enabled research tool powered by the Smithsonian debuted in an undergraduate biology class at Georgia Tech this semester."}],"uid":"32045","created_gmt":"2019-10-14 19:31:05","changed_gmt":"2019-10-15 23:47:10","author":"Ben Snedeker","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2019-10-14T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2019-10-14T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"627580":{"id":"627580","type":"image","title":"Jill Watson 2019 AI Teaching Assistant","body":null,"created":"1571083583","gmt_created":"2019-10-14 20:06:23","changed":"1571083583","gmt_changed":"2019-10-14 20:06:23","alt":"Stock image of personified female AI looking at reflection in mirror","file":{"fid":"238946","name":"093086626-technology-and-science-abstrac.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/093086626-technology-and-science-abstrac.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/093086626-technology-and-science-abstrac.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":638699,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/093086626-technology-and-science-abstrac.jpeg?itok=XSrzrrqu"}},"627584":{"id":"627584","type":"image","title":"Sungeun An - Ph.D. Human-Centered Computing Student","body":null,"created":"1571086076","gmt_created":"2019-10-14 20:47:56","changed":"1571086076","gmt_changed":"2019-10-14 20:47:56","alt":"Sungeun An, Georgia Tech human-centered computing PhD student","file":{"fid":"238949","name":"Sungeun An_human-centered-computingPhD.-student-2019.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sungeun%20An_human-centered-computingPhD.-student-2019.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Sungeun%20An_human-centered-computingPhD.-student-2019.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":51969,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Sungeun%20An_human-centered-computingPhD.-student-2019.jpg?itok=CIwWIfHw"}}},"media_ids":["627580","627584"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/emprize.gatech.edu","title":"Georgia Tech\u2019s emPRIZE: AI-Powered Learning. Anytime. Anywhere."}],"groups":[{"id":"47223","name":"College of Computing"},{"id":"576481","name":"ML@GT"},{"id":"66442","name":"MS HCI"},{"id":"50876","name":"School of Interactive Computing"},{"id":"1299","name":"GVU Center"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"2556","name":"artificial intelligence"},{"id":"9167","name":"machine learning"},{"id":"182669","name":"VERA"},{"id":"169183","name":"Jill Watson"},{"id":"182670","name":"goel"},{"id":"168873","name":"Smithsonian"},{"id":"182671","name":"encyclopedia of life"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39501","name":"People and Technology"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EAlbert Snedeker, Communications Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu?subject=Jill%20Watson%20Answering%20Questions%20on%20Research%20AI%20Tool\u0022\u003Ealbert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EJoshua Preston, Research Communications Manager\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto: jpreston@cc.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejpreston@cc.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["albert.snedeker@cc.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}