This project supports the Advancing Health Through Science: Principal Investigators Workshop in Alexandria, VA on January 6-7, 2020. The meeting will bring together principal investigators of projects awarded by the Smart and Connected Health (SCH) program with other researchers looking at smart health in the broader community. The SCH program was set up in order to bridge gaps in fundamental science necessary to transform health and healthcare, as well as to be focused on prevention and person-centered care. Advancing Health through Science Workshop is designed to address the next generation of challenges in advancing health with foundational research from the computer science, engineering and the social, behavioral and economic disciplines. An objective of the Workshop is to provide an opportunity for the principal investigators and other smart health researchers to explore research progress in a diverse set of projects and discuss important current issues, as well as future challenges associated with research in transdisciplinary scientific areas. The discussions will be supported by keynotes, panels, project-related posters, rapid talks and cross-discipline participant-generated workshops. It is anticipated that the meeting will stimulate discussions, connections, and collaborations that will facilitate progress in the area of Smart and Connected Health.
The workshop should have a significant impact on the participants and the future of the SCH program. The focus of the workshop is on foundational research that supports the growth of smart health within connected communities. The workshop results are likely to include new research directions that will be publicized to the research community through publications and a workshop website. The results dissemination should inform and the developing Smart and Connected Health research community in their transdisciplinary collaboration, educational activities, and spur other innovative research directions. The broader impacts of the workshop are to facilitate progress in the field and stimulate conversations, connections, and collaborations that will lead toward better informed and effective smart and connected health research and resulting technologies for the broadest possible user populations. In order to address current concerns in Smart and Connected Health research, such as cybersecurity and privacy, the meeting will include a cross-discipline workshops with the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace research community. Additionally, there will be a workshop attached to the Principal Investigator meeting that will support the travel for ten students to attend the PI Workshop. This should also help grow the field by providing mentorship and support for a new cadre of investigators looking to do work in the Smart and Connected Health area.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
