KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 13, 2026

Navigating tough conversations with families in healthcare is difficult for most, but with the help of her research, KSU Honors student Anna Burkett has fully leaned into it. 

A member of the Presidential Emerging Global Scholars (PEGS) cohort and a psychology major on the pre-med track, Burkett knows that her passion for people, leadership, and service will lead her to a desired career far beyond herself; one focused on underserved populations and healthcare. 

After visiting an orphanage in Costa Rica with her PEGS cohort, the inspiring experience solidified her mission in becoming a leader that can impact people around the globe. 

“Interacting with the children in the orphanage was really impactful,” she said. Hearing stories from families about their experiences with ineffective policies, the healthcare issues they were facing, and their dangerous treks to medical facilities to obtain care developed me into a more socially aware, empathetic individual.”  

Realizing the severe lack of resources in underserved communities, Burkett was inspired to pursue research through the Office of Undergraduate Research’s VIP program. One particular research project caught her eye, and luckily, she was selected to be on the team. “Both had a focus on healthcare and how technology can be used to improve healthcare systems,” she said. A sub-group led by professors Nazmus Zakib and Evelina Sterling, and master's student Awan-Ur Rahman, she worked with other Kennesaw State University students as well as students from other universities.  

They particularly focused on AI and how it can be used in the study of dementia and Alzheimer's. The team met weekly, working on literature reviews and analyzing large data sets in Python to identify significant trends. Their findings led to a published article, which Burkett co-authored. 

"Anna shows us that the most impactful student-scholars pair rigorous inquiry with a determination to make a difference in the world,” says Dr. Jamie Elliott, Associate Dean of the KSU Journey Honors College. “To be a published author as an undergraduate student is truly exceptional. Anna’s pursuit of excellence in research, leadership, and service represent the very best of Honors at KSU.” 

Working on this research uncovered new perspectives about the dual-sided nature of AI, ideas Burkett believes should be taken seriously. “I learned how dynamic AI is,” she said. “When used correctly, it can help with detection and resource allocation. However, it can also be detrimental to the environment and have medical inaccuracies and biases.”  
 
Her findings on dementia and Alzheimer's prepared her for volunteering in clinical settings and having tough conversations with families about the cruel diseases. “It’s a heavy topic that affects people from different backgrounds,” Burkett said. “I was able to walk into emotionally heavy spaces and practice empathy while talking to families.”  

While shadowing doctors, she also identified a potential application for AI: assisting with paperwork and administrative tasks. Automating these time-consuming responsibilities would give doctors more time to spend with their patients, improving the quality of patient care. 

After reading her team’s publication, Burkett hopes readers understand how vital resource allocation and healthcare accessibility is in underserved areas. She also argues that AI can be a valuable tool, but it requires factchecking by medical professionals, regulations, and guardrails to prevent more harm than good. Burkett says her PEGS course, Introduction to Civic Engagement, taught by Professor Karen Boettler helped shape the way she thinks as a student and a researcher. “Professor Boettler helped me understand that problems are not just black and white; you really have to understand the problem before trying to solve it.” 

After graduating, Burkett hopes to continue working at the intersection of healthcare and technology and putting her research findings into practice to help others. She also plans to become a physician and travel the world with Doctors Without Borders, a purposeful career that will fill her heart for humanity.