S5E1: Dr. Melody Jackson on Brain-Computer Interfaces & Animal-Computer Interaction

On this episode, host Tanmay Shah chats with Dr. Melody Jackson. She is a pioneering researcher and educator at Georgia Tech. Dr. Jackson is the creator and director of Georgia Tech’s BrainLab, where she leads groundbreaking work in brain–computer interfaces, helping people communicate and control technology using only their thoughts. She’s also a founder of the emerging field of Animal–Computer Interaction, designing systems that allow service dogs and other animals to interact with technology in meaningful ways. With a career that bridges industry innovation, academic leadership, and student mentorship, Dr. Jackson’s work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, NIH, DARPA, and more. Her journey—from earning her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Georgia Tech to shaping the future of human– and animal–technology interaction—continues to inspire students, researchers, and technologists worldwide.

TIMESTAMPS- 

(0:00) - Cold Intro 

(1:14) - Episode Intro 

(2:30) - Lifelong professional dog trainer! 

(8:50) - Work in FIDO project 

(18:40) - Research associate background 

(22:05) - Industry to Academia journey 

(28:22) - Research problems 

(40:55) - Moonshot projects 

(47:42) - Advice for OMSCS students interested in research 

VISIT ⁠https://omscs.gatech.edu/omscs-buzz-podcast⁠ for the entire catalog of episodes and our Feedback & Guest Nomination Form. 

EDITOR – Sidharth Ramesh