Khojandi, Zhao selected for prestigious AAAS STPF fellowships

Anahita Khojandi and Xiaopeng Zhao have been selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to participate in the 2024-25 Science & Technology Policy Fellowship (STPF). 

Khojandi, a Heath Endowed Faculty Fellow in Business & Engineering and Associate Professor in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and Zhao, a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering and founding director of the Applied AI Program in the College of Emerging and Collaborative Studies at UT, will spend a year in the Washington, D.C. area providing in-house expertise, insight, and guidance to lawmakers in support of smart policies for technology. 

Khojandi has been designated to the AAAS STPF Rapid Response Cohort in AI and will be placed in the Executive Branch. Her specific placement is with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Zhao has also been designated to the AAAS STPF Rapid Response Cohort in AI. His placement is in the legislative branch program area.  

Khojandi and Zhao will live and work in the DC area full-time from September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025.  

“I am super excited to learn more about how the different branches of the government work together to develop science-informed policies and I feel humbled and honored to be working to improve the health of our veterans,” said Khojandi, whose research interests include decision making under uncertainty and partial information, machine learning, and reinforcement learning, with applications in healthcare and genomics. “I am combining my expertise in AI and decision making with my years of experience doing research in healthcare applications and collaborating with practitioners, so I think this is a great fit for me.” 

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” Zhao added. “The rapid advancements in AI have outpaced policy and regulation, and being able to contribute to shaping these crucial policies is a responsibility I take seriously. My work with AI in healthcare has always aimed to bridge the gap between technology and real-world applications, and this fellowship allows me to do so on a national scale.” 

Helping Inform Government Policy

Since 1973, the AAAS STPF program has been providing participants with unique public service professional development opportunities, building bridges between science and policy to serve society. Fellows are placed in various governmental roles to contribute their expertise to policy-making processes.  

Fellows receive a stipend along with additional benefits, including relocation allowance, health insurance, and transit benefits. Throughout the fellowship year, they will have access to professional development training and workshops relevant to policy, communication, leadership, and career strategies.  

Khojandi and Zhao are among approximately 275 participants for the 2024-25 fellowship year. The class will include approximately 35 legislative branch participants, one judicial branch fellow, approximately 140 first-year executive branch participants, and approximately 100 executive branch participants who have renewed their fellowship for a second year. 

The AAAS STPF Rapid Response Cohort in AI was launched last year following the public release of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. Zhao, whose research focuses on AI and robotics for assistive technology to enhance the quality of life for people with dementia and their family caregivers, is one of six scientists chosen from a pool of more than 130 candidates placed in the legislative branch for this year’s cohort. They are tasked with providing guidance on issues such as AI ethics, information integrity, intellectual property, human rights, and algorithmic risk. 

“I was particularly drawn to this program because it focuses on the rapidly evolving field of AI policy,” Zhao said. “In the past year and a half, we’ve seen unprecedented advancements in AI, but the development of policies and regulations has struggled to keep pace. I’m honored to have the opportunity to help close this gap. While I anticipate significant challenges, I’m excited to learn and make meaningful contributions.” 

Opportunities for Growth

Khojandi applied for the fellowship to give her a broader view of how her academic work can potentially benefit society. She is eager to share her knowledge and learn from others in her placement at the VA. 

“Improving the care of our veterans is a national priority and I think it is especially timely to look into how AI can help facilitate this,” Khojandi said. “I would like to get a better understanding of the implications of AI in health policy planning and how we can leverage the powerful AI tools to make care planning and delivery better. This is all forcing me to think bigger.” 

Both Khojandi and Zhao credit professional development opportunities at UT for preparing them for this prestigious fellowship. Through leadership roles and workshops, they have moved outside of their comfort zones and expanded their depth of understanding beyond their own specialties. 

“There is an ecosystem at the university and various resources are provided to help everyone grow. More importantly, there is a new and energized sense of community, especially around AI and healthcare at UT, that encourages you to engage with the community and give back,” Khojandi said. “The university has invested in me and gave me these chances, so I feel this is an opportunity to honor that.” 

Zhao echoed this sentiment, adding, “The support and resources at UT have been instrumental in my journey, from fostering innovative research to encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration. This fellowship is not just a personal achievement but also a reflection of the strong academic and research environment at UT. I’m eager to bring the knowledge and experience I gain back to UT, to continue contributing to the growth of our AI initiatives and to support the next generation of researchers.”