About Me

I'm Amanda, a passionate Ph.D. student in Human-Centered Computing at the University of Florida. My academic foundation was laid with a B.S.B.A in Information Systems from the University of Arkansas. Since August 2020, I've been contributing as a Research Assistant with the LearnDialogue Group lab. Our projects have ranged from enhancing the EarSketch CS learning platform with a co-creative AI companion to more recent ventures with the INVITE Institute, focusing on the future of AI-learner interactions. Beyond academia, my professional journey has seen collaborations with industry giants like Walmart as an Insight Analyst. In my leisure, I indulge in AI-driven personal projects, experimenting with narratives for games and harnessing machine learning to fuel my creative pursuits.

Research Interests

My research centers around the fascinating interplay between AI, machine learning, and human creativity. I'm currently diving deep into understanding how AI influences our creative processes. This exploration, forming the core of my dissertation, aims to unravel the myriad possibilities AI brings to the realm of creativity and education. Through my work, I aspire to shed light on the potential benefits, challenges, and transformative power of AI in shaping our creative future.

Education

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)—Human-Centered Computing

University of Florida,

Expected December 2024

Coursework: Foundations of Machine Learning, User Experience Design, Introduction to Computational Linguistics, Natural Language Processing, Human-Computer Interaction, Analysis of Algorithms, Research Methods for Human-Centered Computing, and Spoken Dialogue Systems

B.S.B.A.—Information Systems

University of Arkansas,

May 2017

Coursework: Business Analytics and Interpretation, Business Application Development, Business Database Systems, Business Intelligence, Computer Architecture and Programming, Data Analysis & Interpretation, Java I, Networking & Info Systems, and Systems Analysis and Design

Publications

    Journal Articles

    1. Investigating the Relationship Between Dialogue States and Partner Satisfaction During Co-Creative Learning Tasks. Amanda E. Griffith, Gloria Ashiya Katuka, Joseph B. Wiggins, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer, Jason Freeman, Brian Magerko, and Tom McKlin. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, August 2022. [bib] [doi]

    Conference Papers

    1. Supporting Computational Music Remixing with a Co-Creative Learning Companion. Erin Truesdell, Jason Smith, Sarah Mathew, Tom McKlin, Gloria Ashiya Katuka, Amanda E. Griffith, Brian Magerko, Jason Freeman, and Kristy Elizabeth Boyer. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Computational Creativity, 2021. [bib] Best Long Paper (student-led)
    2. Discovering Co-creative Dialogue States during Collaborative Learning. Amanda E. Griffith, Gloria Ashiya Katuka, Joseph B. Wiggins, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer, Jason Freeman, Brian Magerko, and Tom McKlin. Proceedings of the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2021, pp. 165–177. [bib] [doi] Best Student Paper

    Presentations

    1. Investigating the Relationship Between Dialogue States and Partner Satisfaction During Co-Creative Learning Tasks. Amanda E. Griffith. In The International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2023, Tokyo, Japan.

Experience

Research Assistant – LearnDialogue

August 2020Current
  • Collaborated with a multidisciplinary team to design and implement a co-creative AI partner for the EarSketch platform, enhancing the platform's ability to support creative learning tasks.
  • Conducted in-depth analysis and modeling of over 400 student dialogues, informing the development of AI dialogue models that facilitate more effective and engaging human-AI interaction.
  • Led multiple comprehensive usability testing sessions, identifying key areas for improvement and optimizing the user experience through iterative design and feedback incorporation.
  • Coordinated and facilitated user studies to gather valuable feedback, further refining the system's user experience and ensuring alignment with user needs and expectations.
  • Contributed significantly to developing two grant proposals, conducting meticulous research, crafting compelling narratives, and editing for clarity and accuracy.

Insight Analyst – Retail Insight

June 2017 - May 2018
  • Assisted Walmart with the implementation and utilization of Retail Insight's on-shelf availability solutions across six countries, enhancing inventory management and customer satisfaction.
  • Provided actionable insights and identified opportunities for improvement through detailed analysis of store and market data, driving informed decision-making and strategic planning.
  • Automated recurring reporting processes, saving 16 hours weekly for analysts to focus on custom solutions and ad hoc client reports.
  • Collaborated closely with clients in 6 countries to create and maintain custom dashboard solutions, meeting their unique data reporting needs and supporting their ongoing business objectives.
  • Optimized SQL query for a daily report, cutting run time from 3 minutes to under 10 seconds per store, enhancing efficiency for over 400 stores.

Projects

Coming Soon!