Student Spotlight: Yann Hicke
May 5, 2025
Yann Hicke is a M.S./Ph.D. student in computer science from Paris, France. He earned a B.Sc. in applied mathematics and industrial engineering from École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nancy and an M.Eng. in operations research and information engineering from Cornell University and graduated from a three-year professional conservatory at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. He now studies AI-powered simulation environments that facilitate the practice of communication skills under the guidance of Claire Cardie and Rene Kizilcec at Cornell.
What is your area of research and why is it important?
My research focuses on creating AI-powered simulation environments where people can practice communication skills in realistic, two-way conversations. Imagine talking to a virtual patient or client that responds and behaves much like a real person. Because these systems run on artificial intelligence, they can adapt to individual learners, offering immediate, personalized feedback. This work is important because it provides more accessible, cost-effective opportunities to learn essential communication skills. Whether in medical programs, therapy training, or any setting that values interpersonal interaction, these AI environments help students build confidence and competence without requiring large teams of instructors or actors.
What are the larger implications of this research?
This research has significant implications for medical and therapy training, fields that are currently facing alarming workforce shortages. Projections show the U.S. could be short up to 86,000 physicians by 2036, needs 1.2 million new nurses by 2030, and has nearly half its population in mental health shortage areas. AI-driven simulations allow medical and therapy trainees to practice crucial interpersonal and diagnostic skills in safe, on-demand environments, reducing the strain on overburdened clinical settings. By providing more realistic, frequent practice scenarios, these systems help produce capable, empathetic practitioners more quickly. Ultimately, this approach expands access to quality care and improves patient outcomes.
What inspired you to choose this field of study?
My journey began five years ago with a fascination for AI-based learning tools that could spark deep engagement and genuine understanding. Initially, I was drawn to the technical challenges of computational education, but about a year and a half ago, I recognized the urgent need for innovation in medical, nursing, and mental health education. Each of these fields involves rigorous, sometimes decade-long training that can greatly benefit from immersive, AI-driven simulations. My four years of acting experience enables me to design simulations that “build characters” just as I would on stage—a full-circle moment that is both creatively and intellectually thrilling.
Based on your research, what role do you think AI and new technologies will play in the future of education?
I believe that AI’s most immediate and significant impact on the future of education lies in its power to disrupt traditional frameworks. A recent PNAS paper, “Could ChatGPT get an engineering degree?” exemplifies this shift. It demonstrates how rapidly AI can perform tasks once used to assess students, prompting us to reconsider not only the relevance of current assessments but the very nature of learning itself. If AI can master a skill in seconds, what should we teach—and why?
Beyond this disruption, I am also very optimistic—reflected in my own work—that AI holds great potential in unexpected areas such as creating learning environments that foster human connection.
What are your hobbies or interests outside of your research or scholarship?
I love any improvisational art form: jazz music, theatre, dance, freestyle rapping—not as a performer anymore but as an audience member. I get to live vicariously through amazing artists on stage that enter trance-flow state and share these experiences that we can live vicariously through. I also love swimming in Cayuga Lake when it’s not freezing outside or running in the woods when snow does not cover paths.
Why did you choose Cornell to pursue your degree?
Having two stellar advisors in different departments—yet only two floors apart—perfectly captures the interdisciplinary spirit of Cornell Bowers CIS. As a computer science student drawn to both broad computational questions and user-focused applications, I’ve really benefited from having both perspectives so close and accessible. It’s helped me keep momentum in my research and stay flexible in how I think and work.
And honestly, living in Ithaca has been a gift. I don’t own a car, but I can still go for a 20-minute run and end up at the Monkey Run trails, overlooking cliffs and lush green valleys—a real luxury.