Research visit from Stanford

08/08/2024

PhD students Matthew Jörke and Lindsay Popowski from Stanford University are conducting their research at HPI this summer.

Matthew Jörke and Lindsay Popowski are working on their doctorates in computer science at Stanford University in California, but are spending this summer at the Hasso Plattner Institute. HPI and the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI) are collaborating on a recently launched joint research program that includes researcher exchanges. The program encompasses five major project areas in the field of human-centered AI. Lindsay and Matthew are part of the project areas "Design of Social Computing Systems" and "AI-Assisted Privacy-Preserving Smart Homes/Offices/Health Spaces", based in the department of Prof. Ralf Herbrich at HPI. In an interview with us, they talk about their projects and their expectations for the research exchange.

Hasso Plattner Insitute: What is your research focus?

Matthew Jörke: My research is at the intersection of human-computer interaction and machine learning, with a focus on health behavior change. In my work, I study and design technology to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors. This summer, I’m continuing my research on GPTCoach, an LLM-based chatbot designed to promote physical activity. GPTCoach implements an established health coaching program and can query and visualize data from a wearable. We’re currently working on extending our system in preparation for a longitudinal field study.

Lindsay Popowski: My focus is within human-computer interaction, in an area called social computing. Basically, I’m interested in how the design of online spaces impacts our social behaviors, at small and large scales. My current work focuses on social media feed algorithms (how the posts you see are chosen and ranked for your viewing) and how everyday users do or don't understand their behavior. We're particularly interested in which algorithms allow users to accurately predict their future behavior.

HPI: What are your expectations for your time at HPI and your goals for your research residency?

Matthew: My main goals for my research residency at HPI are to make substantial progress on my GPTCoach project so that I can launch a study when I return back to California in the fall. I’m looking forward to collaborating closely with Prof. Ralf Herbrich, my faculty advisor, and benefiting from his expertise. Additionally, I hope to connect with new colleagues, friends, and potential collaborators who share similar research interests. I am also eager to learn more about academia in Germany and explore the similarities and differences to academia in the US.

Lindsay: At HPI, I'm hosted within Ralf Herbrich's AI and Sustainability group. I'm looking forward to learning from everyone else in this group, especially given the more AI-orientated perspectives. I'm also working closely with Ralf and getting his advice on my current project, which intersects well with his expertise. It's also quite interesting to work in a new lab--every lab has unique culture, even without being in a different country--so I'm enjoying seeing how things are done differently here. My more practical goal is to wrap up my current project and submit it at the end of the summer. We're making good progress so far!

HPI: What are you most looking forward to on your stay? Is there anything in particular you’d like to see or visit in Germany?

Matthew: I am German-American and my entire father’s side of the family lives in Germany. I don’t get to see them very often, so I’m very grateful for the opportunity to spend time with them while I’m here. Berlin is also one of my favorite cities in the world, and it’s always been a dream of mine to live here. It’s been incredible to meet so many interesting people and start building a community. As a hobby musician myself, it’s been particularly nice to meet new people working in music and the arts and explore the music scene here in Berlin. 

Lindsay: I'm most excited to just enjoy myself in Berlin over the summer. I haven't gotten the chance to live in urban environments very much, so I'm having a great time eating a lot of good food, visiting small shops, seeing historical sites and museums, and getting around on foot or public transportation. I also want to spend some time at the lakes while I'm here.