AI in Action: Flash Talks on AI Use in the Classroom

Nushrat "Esha" Esha is a third-year Neuroscience major who is interested in research and assisting her communities. In her free time, she is found volunteering at the hospital, trying out new recipes to cook, or seeing her favorite musicians live at concerts. She is passionate about helping others and creating a collaborative space for everyone to grow and learn in.

Logan Juliano, Ph.D., is a Continuing Lecturer in the Writing Programs at UCLA. Their research on the impacts of information architecture on lived identities has been featured in publications such as the International Journal of Cultural Studies, In Media Res, and Theatre Journal. Recent work, in partnership with USC and Google, utilized machine learning technologies to generate Webby Award-winning insights about the experiences and accomplishments of women in STEM fields.

Gaston Pfluegl, PhD (they/them/their) is an accomplished and dedicated full-time instructor with over 20 years of experience at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). As the Program Director of the Life Sciences Core Laboratories, they oversee a large physiology and molecular biology undergraduate laboratory course, which is currently offered to up to 2100 students every quarter as a hybrid laboratory course. Gaston's expertise in curriculum development and instruction is essential in shaping a comprehensive learning experience for students. Gaston works closely with their laboratory team to enhance the student laboratory experience with online tools and materials. They are particularly focused on promoting peer-to-peer, active, and cooperative learning in a laboratory setting, as well as scientific writing and understanding plagiarism. Their efforts have resulted in an engaging and interactive laboratory experience, inspiring students to pursue scientific research with passion and dedication.

Originally from Germany, Gaston has a diverse academic background, including a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from the Technical University Berlin, a Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry from the Free University Berlin, and both a Master's degree in Molecular Biology and a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of Basel. This breadth of education and experience provides them with unique insights and perspectives on scientific research and education. Prior to joining the Life-Sciences Core at UCLA, Gaston conducted research in Protein- Crystallography for twelve years, working at the Biocentre in Basel and UCLA. This experience has given them a unique perspective on the importance of bridging the gap between research and education, and they are passionate about bringing cutting-edge research techniques and technologies into the classroom to inspire the next generation of scientists. 

In their personal life, Gaston is happily married to their husband Enrique for 16 years and is a proud resident of West Hollywood. They share their home with their three beloved cats, who they dote on when not inspiring and educating future scientists.

Andrew Lee is a PhD student in the Psychology Department. He attended Williams College for his BA and spent a formative year abroad at Oxford University. He is interested broadly in understanding the computational mechanisms of human intelligence, particularly in concept learning and reasoning. By extension, the learned content and reasoning capabilities of AI like chatGPT are of interest, too. He is especially concerned about the lack of intelligibility in complex AI and has the suspicion that the relatively well-structured theories of human psychology have much to improve about current AI. In this talk, he will cover what chatGPT may and may not understand, and offer his (noncommittal) thoughts on the way that both educators and students should make sense of chatGPT. 

Laurel Westrup, Ph.D., is a Continuing Lecturer in UCLA Writing Programs, where she teaches a variety of writing and pedagogy courses and coordinates the Graduate Certificate in Writing Pedagogy. She also teaches with the Honors Program. Her interests include multimodal composition, antiracist pedagogy, and popular music and media studies. She is a 2023 recipient of UCLA's Distinguished Teaching Award for Non-Senate Faculty.