Abdulmalik Adetola Lawal received the Overall Best Research Poster Presentation Award in the B1 Master’s Students category at the University of Nevada, Reno. The category included students from liberal arts, social sciences, education, business, journalism and social work.
The award recognized Lawal’s independent research titled “Social Presence as a Predictor of Trust and Usefulness in Artificial Intelligence Chatbots for Sexual and Reproductive Health.” The study examined how perceived social presence influences trust and perceived usefulness of artificial intelligence chatbots when people seek information related to sexual and reproductive health. The goal was to understand how social cues in digital systems shape engagement with sensitive health information.
This work is part of Lawal’s broader effort to investigate how artificial intelligence can improve health communication for communities with limited access to reliable information. He has been exploring the potential of AI tools to reduce barriers to care, expand access to timely guidance and support individuals who may not feel comfortable seeking information through traditional channels. His aim is to design research that helps create digital health systems that are accurate, culturally grounded and responsive to the communication needs of diverse populations.
