Events

Event Title	Beyond the Buzz: Practical AI-Use for Recruitment and Retention
Location	Zoom
Sponsor	NC TraCS (Translational and Clinical Sciences) Institute: NIH CTSA at UNC-CH
Date/Time	11/03/2025 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM

For more information, contact the event administrator: Jennifer Scott jennifer_scott@unc.edu

Event Presenters

Name	Title
Ali Sora, MS	Research Project Manager, Recruitment & Retention, NC TraCS Institute
Edmund P. Fernandez, MA	Data Systems & Assessment Specialist, Writing Skills Development Program, SOM Dept. of Health Sciences

The challenges of recruitment are known widely, and research teams are often stretched thin. This session shows how AI can help save time, reach more participants, and make study materials clearer and more engaging. Attendees will learn both the benefits and limits of AI in recruitment and retention, as well as considerations and challenges unique to academic research.

We’ll highlight practical, plain-language strategies that use Microsoft Copilot to create participant-friendly materials, simplify consent language, and reduce the burden of repetitive tasks. A real-world example from a large, currently funded randomized controlled trial will show AI tools in action—demonstrating how they streamline workflows, support retention, and free up coordinators to focus on the human side of research.

Prerequisites: This talk is for All Levels- no prior experience with AI is required. Attending Recruitment 101 in the series is preferred but not required.

Learning Objectives
In this talk we will:

Introduce the benefits & limitations of integrating AI into recruitment & retention within the UNC Research System?
Highlight examples of plain-language strategies that leverage Microsoft Copilot?
Demonstrate AI use for recruitment & retention in a currently funded, large scale randomized-control trial?

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Beyond the Buzz: Practical AI-Use for Recruitment and Retention is part 2 of the 4-part NC TraCS Recruitment & Retention Program Fall 2025 Series. Explore the other sessions in this series with Recruitment 101, Designed to Enroll: Materials Built for Recruitment Success, and the Recruitment 101 Interactive Workshop.