Scientific Writing

This research proposal looks at whether trait-level novelty seeking predicts hippocampus-ventral tegmental area (HPC-VTA) connectivity during episodic memory retrieval. The HPC-VTA loop is a dopaminergic circuit involved in novelty processing and memory formation, and may also contribute to memory retrieval processes. It is hypothesized that individuals higher in novelty seeking will show increased HPC-VTA connectivity during successful episodic recall.  It is expected that higher novelty seeking will be associated with stronger HPC-VTA connectivity during “remember” trials, suggesting that personality-related differences in dopaminergic circuitry extend to memory retrieval.

AI is becoming increasingly present in healthcare, but its integration comes with a challenge: trust. This paper discusses what it means to justifiably trust AI in clinical settings and what conditions make that possible. Through a critical review of the current literature, it analyzes how explainability, reliability, and governance shape clinician and patient trust in AI-assisted decision making, and reflects on the broader implications for healthcare and public health. Trusting AI in healthcare is no longer a question of whether, because it is already here. Rather, the question becomes of what parameters allow us to trust it justifiably, and while the literature agrees that trust is necessary,  how exactly it should be built is the question that remains.

A policy brief designed to help small municipalities meet the new legal requirements under Bill 194 and the Responsible Use of AI Directive, we are proposing that Ontario partner with private AI companies to help with the training and development that would allow them to handle residents’ data on their own. Without a clear strategy, the municipalities risk non-compliance fines, privacy breaches, and high costs from failed tech projects. This will allow for the effective use of AI to improve the delivery of public services while still protecting the data of Ontario’s citizens.