Hudson College Researcher Leads Interdisciplinary Team Awarded ACES AI Research Grant

An interdisciplinary University of Oklahoma research team led by Dan Li, Ph.D., of the Hudson College of Public Health, has received an Artificial Intelligence Research Grant from the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. The team received one of only four grants awarded by the organization this year.

Li, a faculty member in the Hudson College’s Department of Health Promotion Sciences, serves as lead principal investigator for the funded project, “Do AI-Powered Client Simulations Improve Counselor Trainees’ Competence? A Randomized Controlled Trial.”

The study will examine whether client simulations powered by artificial intelligence can help counselor trainees develop the skills and competence needed to prepare for their future work. The project will serve as a foundational study for a broader series of initiatives focused on responsibly integrating AI into mental health care and workforce training.

“We are honored to receive this award,” Li said. “This support will allow us to explore how emerging technology may strengthen the preparation of future mental health professionals.”

The research team brings together expertise from the OU Health Campus, Norman Campus, and Tulsa Campus. In addition to Li, team members include Jie Cao, Ph.D., co-principal investigator in Computer Science; Shangqing Zhao, Ph.D., co-investigator in Computer Science; and Sam Cheng, Ph.D., co-investigator in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Their collaboration combines perspectives from counselor education, public health, computer science, and engineering to address an emerging question at the intersection of mental health, technology, and education. By evaluating AI-powered client simulations through a randomized controlled trial, the team aims to build evidence that can help guide the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into counselor education.

The Association for Counselor Education and Supervision is the largest division of the American Counseling Association and a leading professional organization for counselors, supervisors, graduate students, and faculty members committed to advancing counselor education and supervision.

The award highlights the value of interdisciplinary collaboration across OU and the Hudson College’s role in exploring innovative approaches to strengthening the mental health workforce.

Photo caption: Recipients of the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision AI Research Grant pictured at the AI in Health Symposium. From left are Sam Cheng, Ph.D.; Jie Cao, Ph.D.; Dan Li, Ph.D.; and Shangqing Zhao, Ph.D.