Kristin Bivens: Understanding student attitudes, concerns, and perspectives concerning generative artificial intelligence at the University of Nevada, Reno
Title
Understanding student attitudes, concerns, and perspectives concerning generative artificial intelligence at the University of Nevada, Reno
Mentor
Department
Biosketch
Kristin Marie Bivens (she/her/hers) is an associate professor of English and a director of the Core Writing Program at the University of Nevada, Reno. She came to the University in the fall of 2025 from the University of Bern in Switzerland. Before Switzerland, she studied in Chicago and earned a bachelor's degree in history with a minor in English, a master's degree in English language and literature, and a Ph.D. in technical communication and rhetoric.
As a director and an associate professor at the University, she is interested in understanding what students think about generative AI within the framework of April Baker Bell's concept of linguistic justice and philosopher Amanda Fricker's epistemic injustice. Specifically, she wants to understand students’ attitudes, concerns, and perspectives about generative AI.
Her primary field of research is the rhetoric of health and medicine; her secondary field of research involves qualitative research methodologies and research design. Generally, her research examines the circulation of information (writing/communication) between experts and non-experts in critical care contexts, such as sudden cardiac arrest, opioid overdose, and intensive care units, and in clinical research, such as patient and public involvement. Her most recent book, "A History of Rhetoric, Sound, and Health and Healing" (Routledge, 2024), was published open access through generous funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation.
Her favorite food are tamales.
Project overview
The Pack Research Experience Program (PREP) student will gain qualitative research experience both behind the scenes and in the field. The student will work with Bivens to launch and spread the word about a survey asking University of Nevada, Reno students about their attitudes, concerns, and perceptions about generative AI.
During the fall 2026 semester, the student will assist performing a literature search on generative AI in the field of writing studies, prepare a co-written draft of the literature search for a scholarly publication, and work with Bivens to spread the word across the University to increase the survey response rate. Spreading the word possibly includes creating multimedia to share across the University and visiting classes to share information about the study.
PACK RESEARCH EXPERIENCE PROGRAM INFORMATION AND APPLICATION