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KALAMAZOO, MI— Western Michigan University Haworth College of Business graduate, Alex Campbell, conducted research on AI and machine learning that was accepted by the annual Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS). The computer information systems and data science graduate from Clarkston, Michigan, completed an independent study with Dr. Carrie Song, associate professor of business information systems, who supported him through the research process. 

Both Campbell and Song share an excitement about AI and what it has to offer. According to Song, discovering this connection was the start of the research.

“Since we share a common research topic, conversation started way before the study itself,” says Song. “Every research study needs to be narrowed down with a manageable scope and the potential to make meaningful implications. Through a few discussions, I figured out what kinds of resources Alex could access and made a suggestion that fit the realm of AI-enabled prediction on medical images.”

Campbell, with Song’s input and guidance, began his research in health care IT after exploring his own curiosities.

“Before I started the research, I wasn’t sure that health care would be a possible avenue to explore. The idea came from talking with a friend who is currently working toward becoming an orthopedic surgeon. Based on this discussion and Dr. Song’ s vast knowledge of health care IT, I decided to research how machine learning could be used to assist in the fields of orthopedics and radiology.

“The purpose of my research was to address the challenge of the current shortage of doctors while simultaneously trying to find a cost-effective solution that can be easily implemented in health care. I wanted to use machine learning models as a measure of early detection, cross-referencing x-ray images that may or may not contain a bone fracture. This would allow radiologists and orthopedic doctors to speed up the process of bone fracture detection and treatment.”

Song adds, “Alex refined the machine-learning code multiple times to train an AI app to distinguish hundreds of patients' bone fracture images to better interpret future X-ray images to make correct fracture detection for physicians. We decided to train machine learning models that could understand the historical images (data from the past) in order to make an educated prediction on future images. The results of the study demonstrate the feasibility of AI as a supportive tool in medical diagnostics, offering a promising avenue for enhancing health care services without increasing resource demand on the existing medical workforce.”

As Campbell completed his research, Song was impressed with his discoveries and encouraged him to submit his findings to AMCIS. Campbell is the lead author for this project—he proposed the initial research idea and found the image source, applied programming skills with an appropriate AI application to develop the training models, and learned a new programming language. He crafted the initial draft for the conference submission with Song as a co-author. 

Campbell notes, “Dr. Song’s push to publish the research as well as attend the AMCIS conference and present it live was a huge surprise. It was a great feeling to have that recognition during my senior year as an undergraduate student. It was a little nerve-wracking to jump right into publicizing the study and preparing for a conference because it was a completely new and different experience that I certainly did not expect to have as I was going through the project.”

Campbell’s research and publication has allowed him to grow as both an academic and professional, opening many doors for him as he begins his career. “I really want to get into the data science field and having this paper out there gives me a lot of talking points,” he says. 

Having been a mentor to Campbell, Song says, “Alex demonstrated a keen interest in programming and disruptive technologies, and I observed firsthand his problem-solving capability and perseverance through working with him on this research project. He learned a lot by raising a question and finding solutions. He mentioned to me that he wanted to apply for graduate school in the future so this experience is invaluable for his personal growth, which will prepare him for handling challenges and pursuing opportunities in his future education and career.”

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