Rokwire Lecture Series

Fall 2021 Lectures

Lecture 1:

"Open-source Campus", Dr. Bradly Alicea (October 6). YouTube

Abstract: As the University campus becomes ever more digitally connected, it enables new forms of collaboration and communication. The Rokwire and Smart, Healthy Communities Initiatives are currently realizing this potential on the University of Illinois campus, a place where open-source has a rich history. Yet to fully realize the promise of this trend, there needs to be a change in IT governance and how the traditional campus is conceived.

In this talk, I will discuss a model for the open-source campus and what social changes will enable. The open-source campus is enabled not only by the adoption of a campus app with content relevant to diverse interests, but also by open-source content development that enables open collaboration. An open-source campus is then realized by the expression of open collaboration and making the campus into a virtual experience.

Lecture 2:

"Campus Apps in North America and the Illinois App", Jinal Mehta and Isaac Galvan (October 13). YouTube

Abstract: In order to improve the student engagement factor, colleges and universities need to make sure that information influencing student decisions is available at the right place and at the right time.

To accomplish this, we sampled institutions from across North America to examine how Campus Apps, in particular Comprehensive Apps, are utilized to engage their campus student population. I will discuss the different categories of apps, their most popular features, and the platforms on which these apps are developed.

We will also develop a better understanding of the different campus apps that are being offered across our demographic, along with an understanding of which University focuses on which features and how these apps contrast with the Illinois App. This understanding helps us in better appreciating what kinds of features are most predominant and potentially useful.

Lecture #3:

"Social Science Research and the Rokwire Platform", Dr. Peter Ondish (November 17). YouTube

Abstract:
The proposed talk outlines the vision and goals of a partnership between the Rokwire group and the Center for Social and Behavioral Science (CSBS). CSBS will collaborate with Rokwire to a) lead and b) support tech-engaged external research proposals by serving as ambassador to over 200 social-behavioral science faculty, as well as connecting researchers to key community partners. Second, CSBS will drive process-centric Rokwire research to make campus smarter, healthier, and more sustainable. Third, the CSBS will help transition Rokwire into a powerful research vehicle for the University of Illinois’ social-behavioral scientists. Fourth, the CSBS will provide Rokwire with SBS-based evaluation and measurement expertise to evaluate and measure key topics for Rokwire, such as attitudes towards technology, student health and wellness, academic success, and life readiness.

Lecture 4:

"Unpacking 5G and an Overview of the Innovation Hub at the U-I Research Park", Robert Belson and Abhijit Kudrimoti (October 27). YouTube

Abstract: There’s been a lot of talk about "the network edge" — but what does that really mean in the context of your architecture? With the proliferation of high-speed 5G networks, a whole new world of immersive experiences will be unlocked but their development could result in unforeseen architectural challenges.

This session will review Verizon’s 5G Edge infrastructure that enables developers to deploy compute resources topologically closer to users than ever before via AWS Wavelength Zones. In this talk, we will explore how enterprises are leveraging Verizon 5G Edge today through common architecture patterns and practical solutions for workload distribution, edge discovery, and more.

Lecture 5:

"Data Trusts: a solution to our mass data collection discontent?", Angela Risius (November 3). YouTube

Abstract: Mass data collection problems result in collective harms and private benefits thanks to the power imbalance between data-collecting companies and their users. Data trusts, a subcategory of data commons, provide independent, fiduciary stewardship of data to solve this problem. In this talk, we will be going over the problems of mass data collection, key elements of data trusts, their connection to data privacy, and some current real-life implementations of this innovation.

In terms of potential future directions, data trusts have far-reaching implications on collective decision-making and acting on collectively produced data. By the end of the lecture, participants will have a clearer idea of what problems a data trust can solve and even ways they could design their own data trust from the key elements.

Lecture 6:

"Designing Conversational AI to Provide Guidance on Skill Training", Dr. Yun Huang (November 10). YouTube

Abstract: Chatbots are a promising technology for delivering services for multiple applications and across many domains. Specifically, prior studies have shown that chatbots have the potential to coach users who are learning new and different skills. However, several limitations of chatbot-based approaches remain. People may become disengaged from using chatbot-guided systems and fail to follow the related guidance.

In this talk, I will introduce our research on designing and evaluating conversational AI that delivers guidance for people practicing journaling skills. I will present a series of studies on novel chatbot designs that improve human-chatbot interaction, users’ perceived engagement and trust, and the long-term effects of using chatbots for practicing new skills.

Our findings show that users engage more effectively when chatbots incorporate human experts’ guidance, even though users could perceive higher pressure and feel less motivated to continue the practices voluntarily. Our work also suggests reciprocity can occur in human-chatbot interaction, i.e., when a chatbot self-discloses more like a human, users also disclose their feelings and thoughts more deeply to the chatbot with more trust.