Mai Lee Chang (she/her)

Postdoctoral Researcher at the Human-Computer Interaction Institute

Hometown: Oshkosh, Wisconsin

1. What are your academic and/or professional goals? My professional goals are to advance AI technologies that enrich society by upholding human values, mitigating unintentional harm, and enhancing quality of life. This involves designing systems that are trustworthy, fair, and socially intelligent. Specifically, my research has enabled robotic teammates to treat human teammates fairly as well as pioneering avenues for technology adoption to support aging in place.
2. Tell us about a significant moment in your journey at CMU so far. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with my amazing supervisors, Professor Jodi Forlizzi and Professor John Zimmerman, along with brilliant student research assistants on the AI-CARING project. The goal of this project is to explore how we can design AI agents to support older adults to prolong their time living at home, especially when they start experiencing cognitive decline. We wanted to seek the perspectives of healthy older adults and older adults who are experiencing cognitive impairment and their caregivers. However, recruiting participants proved more challenging than anticipated. It took visits to over 40 local senior centers to successfully complete three studies.
3. What do you like to do in your time away from academic work? I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. Whether we're exploring new restaurants, catching a movie, hiking, or camping, every moment together is cherished. Additionally, I enjoy going to church and participating in Bible study sessions.
4. Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with? My last memorable meal was a delightful New Year’s Eve dinner with my family and cousins at my parents’ house. My brother and sister-in-law prepared the perfect pho noodle soup, which we all savored. To add to the joyous atmosphere, my sister and I organized entertaining games with prizes for everyone, spanning from our youngest cousins, age 5, to our aunts and uncles in their 80s. Laughter and joy filled the air, creating beautiful memories.
5. What’s your favorite thing about Pittsburgh? One of my favorite things about Pittsburgh is that it is a city that’s at the forefront of innovation and technology. It exudes an atmosphere where all things are possible.