Michelle A Birkett

Michelle A Birkett is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. She directs the Center for Computational and Social Sciences in Health (COMPASS) within the Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine (I.AIM) and leads the CONNECT Complex Systems and Health Disparities Research Program at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing.

Her research employs network science and multilevel methodologies to investigate how stigma impacts health outcomes among marginalized populations, with specialized focus on sexual and gender minority youth. This work integrates big data analytics with social science frameworks to address health disparities in HIV/AIDS, substance use, and cardiovascular health through structural and contextual lenses. Her approach emphasizes real-world interventions that drive systemic change across multiple societal levels.

Dr. Birkett's publication portfolio demonstrates consistent focus on intersectional health disparities, with recent work examining pandemic impacts on social networks, structural racism in HIV risk environments, and digital/physical space dynamics in sexual partner selection. Her research bridges computational social science with clinical public health applications.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• National Academies of Sciences New Voices Program membership (2018)
• NW Feinberg Medical Student Teaching Excellence Award (2018)
• NIH Loan Repayment Awards (2012, 2014)
• NU-LEAP Leadership Program (2023)

She directs the NIH-funded SILOS Project ($3.3M) investigating HIV/substance use contexts and developed Network Canvas software for social data collection. Her work is supported by continuous NIH funding and appears in journals including American Journal of Public Health and Social Networks.

As COMPASS director, she leads interdisciplinary teams integrating artificial intelligence with social science to advance health equity research. Her external engagements include the Complex Data Collective and institutional disclosure compliance per Northwestern's integrity policies.