Student Receptiveness to Circadian-Aware AI-Driven Scheduling; Using Technological Momentum to Examine Corporate Inertia in the Equifax Data Breach

My technical work and my STS project are related through the theme of how human-centered design can affect, or be constrained by, technological systems. My STS research applies Thomas Hughes’ framework of technological momentum to the Equifax data breach, arguing that the well-established structure of the company created resistance to security patches that were needed to protect customers' data. My technical project investigates how students interact with AI scheduling tools and their perceived usability, revealing that even advanced tools fail to support users. Both of these works explore how technological systems can shape behavior and decision-making, for better or worse. My technical work explores the use of AI to create a personalized scheduling tool that promotes student well-being. My capstone team designed mockups of a circadian-aware scheduling application that uses Large Language Models (LLMs) and biobehavioral data (sleep patterns, step count, etc.) to create a task-based calendar aligned with the student’s natural rhythm. We developed three interactive prototypes, each with varying levels of AI integration and biobehavioral data, and conducted a user study with 102 undergraduate participants to determine usability and model preference. These prototypes were developed using Figma, a web-based tool for creating interfaces, and it was determined that there was a preference for the model that incorporated both the LLM and biobehavioral data. The goal of our project was to determine how AI could be incorporated into a tool to improve the circadian alignment of students and whether this type of tool would be useful and desired by students. Our goal was to explore how AI tools could move beyond efficiency and begin supporting wellness, energy management, and personalized planning for college students. My STS research explores how established technological systems can resist necessary change, using the 2017 Equifax data breach as a case study. I apply Thomas Hughes’ theory of technological momentum to argue that Equifax's failure to implement an essential security patch was not simply a technological error, but the result of organizational momentum fueled by leadership’s economic priorities. The resistance to change resulted in delayed action, poor crisis management, and ultimately, widespread damage to consumers. My research shows how technological momentum can constrain ethical decision-making, even in the face of urgent cybersecurity threats. Working on both of these projects at the same time has allowed me to think more critically about how systems evolve, and how that evolution either empowers or restricts users. While designing my calendar application to support students, I was also analyzing a case in which a trusted technology failed to protect its users. My STS research pushed me to think beyond just usability, and to also consider how the structure and momentum of technical systems shape ethical outcomes over time. It helped me recognize that even a well-intentioned design can lead to harm if it becomes rigid or misaligned with user needs. Moving forward, I will carry these insights into future projects, aiming to build systems that not only work, but can continue to work with their users as needs change.