Translational AI in Public Health Research
Thursday, October 8, 2026
9:00 AM–3:30 PM (Check-in and Breakfast at 8:30 am)
1845 N Soto St., Los Angeles, CA 90032
Purpose: The annual PPHS research symposium aims to foster cross-division collaboration, promote team science, and create energy and synergy across PPHS.
| TIME | SPEAKER | DIVISION/ROLE |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30–9:00 | Registration & Light Breakfast | (Presenters hang posters in courtyard) |
| 9:00–9:05 | Welcome from Chanita Hughes Halbert, PhD | Executive Vice Chair and Vice Chair for Research |
| 9:05–9:10 | Highlights from 2026: Ricky Bluthenthal, PhD | Department Chair |
| Morning Keynote Speakers | ||
| 9:10–10:00 | David Friedland, MD, PhD | Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Director of Clinical Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications, KSOM |
| Vasiliki (Vas) Anest, PhD | Chief Innovation Officer, USC Norris Head of MESH Strategic Partnerships, KSOM | |
| PPHS Faculty Presentations | ||
| 10:00–10:30 | Julia Vassey, PhD | Assistant Professor (Health Behavior Research) |
| Coffee Break | ||
| 10:40–11:10 | Laura Ferguson, PhD | Associate Professor (Global Health) |
| 11:10–11:40 | Kelly Street, PhD | Assistant Professor (Biostatistics) |
| 11:40–1:00 | Lunch and Student Poster Session | In the Courtyard |
| Afternoon Keynote Speakers | ||
| 1:10–1:40 | John Blosnich, PhD | Co-Director of the USC Center for AI in Society and Associate Professor (Social Work) |
| Bistra Dilkina, PhD | Co-Director of the USC Center for AI in Society and Associate Professor (Computer Science) | |
| PPHS Faculty Presentation | ||
| 1:40–2:10 | Jesse Goodrich, PhD | Assistant Professor (Environmental Health) |
| Coffee Break | ||
| Rapid-Fire Research | ||
| 2:20–3:10 | Yi-Chun Chang, PhD | Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute for Addiction Science |
| Noelle Pardo, PhD, MPH | Postdoctoral Researcher, Environmental Health | |
| Qing Tan, PhD | Postdoctoral Researcher, Center for Genetic Epidemiology | |
| Yara Tapia, Project Leader | Klausner Research Group | |
| Closing Remarks | ||
| 3:10–3:30 | Chanita Hughes Halbert, PhD | What’s the Big Idea? Takeaways and Closing Thoughts |