The Social & Behavioral Science Institute (SBSI) is proud to support three interdisciplinary research teams selected through the Spring 2026 cycle of the Small Grant Program. Their projects span workplace communication, agricultural decision-making, and developmental research—bringing social and behavioral science perspectives to emerging questions at the intersection of AI, human behavior, and society.
These projects demonstrate the value of bringing researchers across disciplines together to examine how AI is developed, communicated, adopted, and experienced across different settings and populations. Through the Small Grant Program, SBSI helps each team develop early-stage research, build new collaborations, and generate preliminary findings that can serve as a foundation for external funding applications.
As part of the program, each funded team will work with a designated SBSI team science coach. Coaches will support teams as they establish their collaborations, develop effective ways of working together, and navigate the opportunities and challenges that come with interdisciplinary research. The team science coaching is made possible through a partnership with the Translational Team Science Initiative (TTSI). This added support helps teams get off to a strong start and build the collaborative foundation for productive, sustainable research partnerships.
Meet the Teams & Their Projects
Actionable AI Forecasts for Farmers Through User-Engaged Interdisciplinary Research
Primary Investigator: Christopher Wirz, Assistant Professor & Extension Specialist, Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications
Co-Investigators: William Chapman, Assistant Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder; Maria Pacheco, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder
Project Summery: This project examines how trust, communication, and user engagement influence farmers’ use and perceptions of AI-enabled weather and seasonal forecast information for agricultural decision-making. Through interviews with Illinois farmers, the research will identify information needs, communication preferences, and factors that shape trust in AI-enabled forecasts, laying the groundwork for user-centered decision-support systems and future interdisciplinary research.
AI-Mediated Communication at Work: Differences in Benefits and Perception
Primary Investigator: Koustuv Saha, Assistant Professor, Siebel School of Computer and Data Science
Co-Investigators: Haylee Min, Assistant Professor, School of Labor and Employment Relations and Department of Psychology; Ziang Xiao, Assistant Professor, Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University; Vedant Das Swain, Assistant Professor, Tandon School of Engineering
Project Summery: This project examines how AI-assisted communication tools are shaping workplace email writing, with particular attention to whether their benefits and effects differ across workers with diverse linguistic and professional backgrounds. The research will examine patterns of AI use, impacts on communication quality, and how AI-assisted messages influence perceptions of the sender, with the goal of informing more equitable AI design and workplace practices.
Using Developmental Machine Learning to Code Eye Gaze in Down Syndrome and Fragile X Syndrome
Primary Investigator: Laura Mattie, Associate Professor, Speech and Hearing Science
Co-Investigators: Jim Rehg, Founder Professor, Departments of Computer Science and Industrial and Enterprise Systems Engineering
Project Summery: This project aims to advance the use of AI to streamline behavioral coding of eye gaze in young children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, reducing the time and burden associated with traditional manual coding. Researchers will refine and evaluate an AI model for identifying different patterns of eye gaze across developmental populations, with the long-term goal of supporting clinical assessment and treatment planning.
Have an Idea for Your Next Collaboration?
Learn how the SBSI Interdisciplinary Small Grant Program supports teams bringing together expertise across disciplines to advance promising research and build toward future external funding.
Explore the Small Grant Program