Before delving into the complexities of constructing technology, Ila Kumar starts with an essential question: In what context will this technology function, and who needs to be involved in its design?
For Kumar, genuine innovation doesn’t grow out of professionals working in their own silos. She is a steadfast believer in the collaborative process – especially when it involves those who stand to benefit from the technological advancements, right from the inception stage. Her work with the Lifelong Kindergarten group embodies this philosophy. In this project, she works alongside young people who have suffered traumatic experiences, particularly those within the child welfare system, to reimagine how technology can provide support for healing, connection, and independence.
Kumar emphasizes that building technology is a community affair. She firmly believes in the notion that creating a technology catering to the communities’ needs, barriers, cultures, and concerns is both sustainable and impactful. Now in the last year of her PhD, a journey she hadn’t initially planned on, Kumar continues to follow her guiding philosophy. Her past experiences in Philadelphia, her studies at the University of Pennsylvania and her work intersecting technology and mental health all played a part in shaping this philosophy. While working on various ‘tech for good’ projects, Kumar noticed the lack of long-term results. Instead of dismissing technology, she reconsidered its creation process.
As she began to adopt community-based methodologies and take broader well-being into account, Kumar found that not only does technology have the potential to harm young people’s mental health and development, it can also be a tool for growth. When properly designed and integrated into existing care systems, technology can enable emotional processing, relationship building, and allow for healthy vulnerability. Kumar’s current work explores these possibilities, developing innovative projects that foster community collaboration.
One such project, in partnership with Stepping Forward LA, utilizes an app designed by and for young people. This visual collage system replaces text-heavy communication, assisting those affected by trauma in expressing their emotions and building connections. Another ongoing collaboration with the Justice Resource Institute involves designing a mobile app that involves youth and clinicians in creating a tool that empowers teens in their treatment planning and goal-setting processes.
For Kumar, the process of designing tools and technology is not a one-way interaction. She believes in a more collaborative approach that includes the people who matter the most in the equation – the caregivers. This was further highlighted in a technology leadership circle she co-facilitated with Foster America, where technology experts came together with individuals with foster care experience. This program sought to discuss how digital technologies could be used to address shortcomings in the care provided to young people in the child welfare system.
This collaboration underscored the importance of designing tools that meet the specific needs of youth and emphasized the need to factor in social services when crafting innovations. On another front, Kumar’s curiosity has led her to delve into artificial intelligence. She found that young people affected by trauma were already using AI for critical decisions, often without the knowledge of their caregivers. This understanding prompted her further engagement with care providers, leading her to conduct training workshops for organizations serving young people impacted by trauma.
Outside the research sphere, Kumar enjoys birdwatching, cooking with friends, and creating graphic illustrations. These pursuits, which require patience, observation, and attentiveness – mirror her approach to research. As we steadily integrate technology into our lives, Kumar perceives future innovations extending beyond the laboratory and out into the communities these technologies stand to serve. Her assertion: “The future of truly impactful technologies is when researchers make decisions with communities rather than for them” encapsulates this belief.
Are you interested in AI solutions for your business? Discover more at implementi.ai. To read more about Ila Kumar’s work, visit the original source: MIT News.
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