Dr. Fay Cobb Payton was featured on the cover of the Fall 2024 edition of a magazine published by Career Communications Group.
In this Innovation edition, she was recognized as one of the top 10 awardees of the Science Spectrum awards, which are presented at STEM (science, technology, engineering, and arts) events organized by Career Communications Group. In 2020, Payton received the Science Spectrum Trailblazer Award for her research in artificial intelligence, data bias, innovation, and healthcare information technology.
She was previously a contributor to Forbes on AI topics and has advised the National Artificial Intelligence Research Advisory Subcommittee. Additionally, she served as a panel judge for the Forbes AI 50: Companies to Watch in both 2021 and 2023. Payton has also been involved in initiatives like Smart Health and Biomedical Research in AI, as well as Advanced Data Science.
More recently, Payton has participated in speaking events focused on the work of the Institute for Data, Research, and Innovation Science (IDRIS) at Rutgers University–Newark.
IDRIS launched in October 2024 as a center focused on using data-driven solutions to tackle complex social problems. Payton is the executive director of IDRIS.
IDRIS examines how AI data is gathered, incorporated, and applied. It focuses on ethical questions surrounding AI and how it can be used to advance equity and overcome challenges in urban communities. The institute will also explore additional technologies, including virtual augmented reality and wearables, such as smart watches and headsets. It will also help train undergraduate and graduate students in research and data literacy.
For more information about how Payton envisions translating statewide AI policy recommendations into real-world impact through IDRIS, click here.
Take a listen to Dr. Payton on the Nuance Podcast with Marysharon Owens.