Laurie Novak, PhD, MHSA, FAMIA

Laurie Novak, PhD, MHSA, FAMIA, is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics in the School of Medicine at Vanderbilt University and Director of the Center of Excellence in Applied AI in the Department of Biomedical Informatics. She is an anthropologist specializing in the cultural intersection of technology with everyday life and work. Her projects currently focus on the implementation of artificial intelligence in medicine, including human-centered design, worker competencies, and organizational capabilities required to deploy and manage AI tools. Another major area of inquiry is health equity and the related health care organizational capabilities, data resources, and practices. She also works on the structure and practice of biobanking, situational analytics and contextual analysis of technology use, and the experience of chronic illness and caregiving in everyday life. In the biomedical informatics training program, Dr. Novak teaches social science methods in multiple courses, and a Fall seminar: BMIF 7350: Technology & Society. 

Dr. Novak received a BA in finance from Murray State University, MHSA in health management and policy from the University of Michigan, and PhD in medical and organizational anthropology from Wayne State University.