Stanford Hospital, despite its excellence, faces one of the highest physician burnout rates in the country. Over three months, we conducted in-depth interviews and shadowed physicians, residents, hospital management, relatives, and patients to uncover solutions to this issue. Our research provided a comprehensive understanding of burnout's causes and offered practical, empathetic strategies for alleviation. We presented these findings to a board of decision-makers, delivering evidence-based recommendations to improve staff well-being and patient care.

The reasons families seek fertility treatments are as diverse as the families themselves. However, most fertility clinics focus on heterosexual couples with infertility. To address this gap, we researched 25 families with non-traditional structures to understand their unique needs. Our work explored how to support the (romantic) relationships between intended parents and how to involve the non-childbearing parents throughout the process, offering insights and strategies to make fertility treatments more inclusive and supportive for all family types.

At the intersection of an airline and one of the world's biggest airports, we spearheaded a project to initiate collaborative sustainability efforts. Over several months, we conducted interviews and workshops with key stakeholders from both corporations, including executives, operations managers, and environmental specialists. Our research focused on identifying synergies and developing integrated strategies to reduce carbon footprints. Our recommendations were implemented and have been reducing multiple tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Through extensive research and interviews with alumni and key stakeholders, we gathered insights into their needs, experiences, and expectations. The findings led to actionable and creative recommendations for improving alumni outreach and fostering stronger connections between alumni, current students, and faculty. Our strategic recommendations, which were implemented, have significantly enhanced the university's community-building efforts and continue to strengthen alumni engagement.

This app facilitates instructor-led reflection on learned content using an AI chatbot to enhance classroom interactions and deepen learning. We gathered insights from educators across various institutions who actively use the app. Drawing on our pedagogical expertise, we created educational content to help users seamlessly and creatively integrate the app into their teaching practices. This project aimed to broaden educators' perspectives and elevate their instructional methods by leveraging the app’s innovative features.

We are excited by how AI was used to overcome a critical barrier in a child abuse prevention program, rather than being adopted for its own sake. At the Stanford Center for Early Childhood, we led an interdisciplinary team in design and UX research. We conducted interviews, usability studies, and integrated qualitative and quantitative insights while collaborating with engineering to implement the solution. This approach effectively scaled the program and extended its evidence-based practices to a wider audience.

With a growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of couple's therapy, the challenge lies in maintaining progress between sessions. We interviewed 12 couples to explore how an AI-based tool could support ongoing learning. Drawing on our background in Gottman therapy, we developed an app that detects predictors of relationship failure in text messages. The system provides alerts and coaching to help couples communicate more effectively between therapy sessions and to reinforce their learning.

In response to the rising tide of mental illness and declining life satisfaction, we initiated a project on preventing mental illness. Recognizing the gap between the treatment of mental illness and the promotion of wellness, we conducted focus groups, in-depth interviews, and shadowed participants, leading to comprehensive insights into user needs and behaviors. This research informed the design of a low-tech, engaging program aimed at enhancing well-being and preventing mental health crises.