Going green sounds simple but it’s difficult for many of us to adopt consistent eco-friendly habits.
Assistant professor of computer science and engineering Sharon Hsiao is interested in how digital tools can help personalize learning and influence people to make adjustments. She teamed up with doctoral student Qiming Sun Ph.D. ’26 to build MyEcoPal, a mobile app that uses AI to simplify sustainable living.
The app analyzes a user’s energy consumption and offers personalized, eco-conscious suggestions, like switching to energy-efficient LED lightbulbs or line drying laundry instead of using a dryer.
“We want to bridge the gap between knowing and doing sustainable actions. Our main goal is to help people do the small things,” says Hsiao. The full app will available for download this fall.
Read the full story: A team of computer scientists build an AI-powered app that encourages eco-friendly living