Glen Smith is an Interactive Computing Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech and works with Dr. Christopher MacLellan as a member of the Teachable Artificial Intelligence Lab (TAIL). His research sits at the intersection of human-computer interaction, machine learning, and cognitive science, where his focus is on designing teachable planning agents that learn tasks from humans in a multimodal and incremental way. This includes work that looks at how best to facilitate effective/efficient human-AI knowledge transfer using demonstrations, correctness feedback, verbal/text instruction, etc. His work has wide-reaching applications and has been explored in the space of intelligent tutoring systems and human-machine teaming in video games. He has worked in multidisciplinary teams in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University, Stanford University, UC San Diego, Army Research Laboratory, and more.
What are your main research interests and how did you become interested in your field?
My research focuses on developing teachable AI systems that can learn incrementally from humans through demonstrations, feedback, and natural interactions. I had various interests in computing before this point, including game design, database administration, data science, and natural language processing. When applying for Ph.D. programs, I spoke with my current advisor about work in bias mitigation in language-based tools for populations with dialectic variances. Although my current work deviates from that, I am able to introduce anti-bias measures in all of my research since much of it focuses on human participation.
What exciting projects are you working on at AI-ALOE?
I am working on an exciting platform called Apprentice Tutor Builder that empowers teachers to create their own custom intelligent tutors for their classrooms. The platform addresses key scalability, curriculum alignment, and other personalization challenges in educational technology by putting tutor creation directly in teachers’ hands. What makes this particularly powerful is our use of teachable AI agents based on Hierarchical Task Networks (HTNs). Instructors can teach these AI agents how to solve problems through various interactions like demonstrations and feedback, which then allows the agents to provide personalized help to students.
What skills or experiences from your time at AI-ALOE do you think will be most valuable for your future career?
AI-ALOE has been great at fostering a truly interdisciplinary environment with strong participation from diverse teams and stakeholders such as NSF review board members, prominent faculty and labs, and industry leaders. I think that through program reviews and technology presentations, I have gained expertise in effectively communicating complex AI concepts to different audiences – from technical peers to educational stakeholders. Additionally, working on systems that combine AI with adult online learning has strengthened my ability to translate research into practical educational solutions which are skills that will be invaluable whether I pursue academia or industry roles in the future.
What’s a hobby or activity you enjoy when you’re not immersed in research?
Yes! I love to drive and the outdoors, so I often go hiking with a group here in Atlanta. I often like to hang out and catch up with friends, but I am not afraid to go out on an adventure alone either. This includes a solo trip to a restaurant, movie theater, arcade, shopping center, bowling alley, you name it! On quieter days, I might spend time at home watching television or thinking about new art to purchase for my living room wall.
What’s something surprising or fun about you that most people wouldn’t know?
I actually only just started driving recently in life. In fact, I only just got a license last year! I had previously lived in metropolitan areas that did not require a car due to there being adequate public transportation. I would ride bikes and public scooters until I decided to purchase a scooter of my own (one you would definitely need a helmet for – it went over 40mph!). Now I am an avid driver and will find any excuse to take a small road trip for even the most basic things. I have already taken a few 12-hour drives from Atlanta to D.C. and Philadelphia just to visit friends!
