S9E4 - From Algorithms to Action: Student-Driven Solutions for Traffic Safety with AI

Episode Notes - In this episode, host Bill Selak is joined by Marisol Ornelas, the director of the Reach Beyond Scholars program and an advanced physics and calculus teacher at Hillbrook. Marisol shares how she is integrating AI into her teaching practices, particularly through a rad physics project focused on street safety. Marisol introduces the Vision Zero initiative, aimed at reducing traffic-related deaths in San Jose, and discusses how her students are actively collecting data to analyze collision risks at local intersections. By using AI tools, they model vehicle speeds and braking distances, allowing students to focus on meaningful data collection rather than getting bogged down in technicalities like website design. The conversation highlights the importance of cognitive load in education, as Marisol emphasizes the need for students to engage deeply with their projects without the added stress of traditional research methods. She shares how AI aids in creating a research library for a renewable energy project, enabling students to learn effectively from vetted scholarly articles without spending excessive time on research. Learn how Marisol is redefining the role of AI in the classroom, promoting a collaborative learning environment that encourages students to explore real-world applications of physics and calculus.Read transcript