Lauren Wilcox facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lauren G. Wilcox
Born	New York City, US
Other names	Lauren Wilcox-Patterson
Alma mater	Columbia University
Known for	Responsible AI, Human-Computer Interaction, Health Informatics
Scientific career
Fields	Computer Science
Institutions	Georgia Tech, Google, Columbia University, Microsoft Research, IBM Research
Thesis	User Interfaces for Patient-Centered Communication of Health Status and Care Progress (2013)
Doctoral advisor	Steven K. Feiner

Lauren G. Wilcox is an American professor and researcher. She is known for her work in responsible AI (Artificial Intelligence). She also studies how people and computers interact, which is called human–computer interaction. Her research helps design technology that involves communities and improves health information systems.

Discovering Lauren G. Wilcox: A Tech Innovator

Her Journey in Education

Lauren Wilcox studied Computer Science at Columbia University. She earned her first two degrees, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and a Master of Science (M.S.), there. Later, she returned to Columbia to complete her Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Computer Science in 2013. During her Ph.D., she worked with experts in medical information and health care at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Making a Difference in Technology

Early Career and Research Focus

Before becoming a professor, Lauren Wilcox worked as a software engineer at IBM in Austin, Texas. She was recognized for her early inventions there. After finishing her Ph.D., she joined the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Interactive Computing. She became an associate professor there in April 2020. At Georgia Tech, she led the Health Experience and Applications Lab. Her research at Georgia Tech focused on how computers can help teenagers with their health. This included managing long-term health conditions and keeping their health data private. She also studied how technology can support mental well-being. She believes that designing technology should always consider how it affects people's overall happiness.

Advocating for Responsible Tech

Lauren Wilcox was one of the first members of the ACM Future of Computing Academy. In 2018, she helped write a blog post for this group. The post encouraged computer scientists to think about how their inventions affect society. It asked them to use a process called "peer review" to check for these wider impacts. Since then, some computer conferences have started asking researchers to explain their work's impact on society.

Shaping the Future of AI

Contributions at Google

In 2019, Lauren Wilcox started working at Google. There, she helped with an important study. This study looked at how an AI system could be used to help care for patients. It was one of the first published works on this topic. Today, she is a Senior Staff Research Scientist and Group Manager at Google. She focuses on responsible AI and human-centered technology.

Recognized for Excellence

In 2023, Lauren Wilcox received a special honor. She was named an ACM Distinguished Member. This award recognizes her important contributions to computing.