Ruopeng, An
Dr. Ruopeng An is a leading expert in obesity epidemiology and policy evaluation, a noted interdisciplinary data scientist, and an internationally recognized scholar in applying artificial intelligence to address public health disparities and social inequities. He currently holds the Constance and Martin Silver Endowed Professorship in Data Science and Prevention and serves as the Director of the Constance and Martin Silver Center on Data Science and Social Equity. Dr. An is also an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and the American College of Epidemiology. His research has been funded by various federal agencies and public/private organizations, including OpenAI, Abbott, and Amgen. Recognized as one of Elsevier’s top 2% most cited scientists, his work has been featured by media outlets such as TIME, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Reuters, USA Today, Bloomberg, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Guardian, FOX, NPR, and CNN.
Abstract:
Workshop Title: From Assistant to Research Partner: A Hands-On Introduction to Agentic AI Tools and Workflows
Description: AI agents are rapidly evolving from experimental tools to essential research collaborators. This 60-minute hands-on workshop introduces scholars to agentic AI through an equity-focused lens, emphasizing practical applications in social and health research. Participants will explore leading frameworks—LangGraph, Smolagents, OpenAI’s Agent SDK, AutoGen, CrewAI, and Dify—highlighting their strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations.
The session features real-world case studies, including:
● AI role-play agents for training social-work students
● Automated qualitative coding of interview data
● Multi-agent pipelines for rapid literature reviews
● Scalable fact-checking of health misinformation
Participants will observe the live construction of two mini-agents—one with Dify’s no-code interface, and another using Smolagents to showcase core API and prompt engineering. No coding experience is required; all templates and notebooks are provided.
Takeaways:
● Understand agentic AI’s research potential and statistical impact
● Choose the right tool for specific research goals
● Leave with a prototype agent ready for adaptation
● Learn ethical best practices for socially responsible deployment
By the end, attendees will be equipped to integrate agentic AI into their research workflows as powerful, principled partners.