SSP Forum: Yatharth Agarwal and Oscar Mier (M.S. Candidates)

The
Symbolic Systems Forum
(community sessions of SYMSYS 280 - Symbolic Systems Research Seminar)
presents

Making the Perfect Calendly: Making Sure Everybody Gets Seen
Yatharth Agarwal (M.S. Candidate)
Symbolic Systems Program

Predicting Treatment Outcomes in OCD: A Neural Tractography Biomarker Approach
Oscar Mier (M.S. Candidate)
Symbolic Systems Program

Monday, March 3, 2025
4:30-5:20 pm PT 
Note special starting time!
Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg. 460), Room 126
In-person event, not recorded
(see below for entry instructions if you are not an active Stanford affiliate)

Note: Lunch is provided, if pre-ordered, only for members of SYMSYS 280, but others are welcome to bring a lunch and eat during the presentation.

ABSTRACTS:

(1) Yatharth Agarwal, "Making the Perfect Calendly: Making Sure Everybody Gets Seen" (Primary Advisor: Chris Piech, Computer Science; Second Reader: Susan Athey, Graduate School of Business) 
     Scheduling systems in healthcare and beyond typically fall into three flawed categories: (1) first-come-first-serve, which fragments schedules and wastes high-value time slots, (2) batch optimization, which theoretically maximizes efficiency but fails when too many users select the same preferred slots, and (3) human schedulers, who negotiate better allocations but at high labor cost.
     I propose a hybrid scheduling model that integrates the best of human negotiation strategies with machine-driven optimization—without requiring a human in the loop. First, I introduce a health bar nudging system that guides users toward better time slots dynamically, preventing preference clustering and balancing supply and demand before selection happens. Second, I present a post-preference upgrade mechanism, where users initially select unconfirmed preferences, but can then be nudged into a more optimal time by offering the chance to swap to an instantly-confirmed time. This reverses the traditional scheduling dynamic: rather than a system passively offering times or users selecting purely based on preference, our approach actively balances both perspectives in real time.
     Preliminary simulations suggest this approach can increase appointment density by 10% while reducing scheduling labor by 80%. More broadly, this research demonstrates that self-serve scheduling can be both optimized and user-friendly—but only when UX design and system efficiency are co-optimized rather than treated as separate problems.

(2) Oscar Mier, "Predicting Treatment Outcomes in OCD: A Neural Tractography Biomarker Approach (Primary Advisor: Cammie Rolle, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences; Second Reader: Nolan Williams, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences)
    Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental health condition, yet treatment responses vary widely among patients, making outcomes difficult to predict. This presentation explores the potential role of neural biomarkers—measurable brain changes—in identifying which patients may benefit from treatment. Using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), the study examines white matter changes before and after Stanford Neuromodulation Therapy (SNT), a novel, non-invasive brain stimulation technique developed by Stanford’s Brain Stimulation Lab to accelerate treatment response. Preliminary findings suggest that specific neural pathways may show structural changes after treatment, correlating with baseline symptom severity and aligning with regions of interest identified in past OCD studies. However, we also consider the limitations and current challenges of neuroscience-informed precision psychiatry. This work contributes to a growing effort in precision psychiatry, aiming to move beyond trial-and-error treatment approaches toward a more personalized and predictive model of mental healthcare.

NOTES ON ENTRY TO THE MEETING ROOM:

Entry to the building is open to anyone with an active Stanford ID via the card readers next to each door. If you do not have a Stanford ID, you can gain entry between 12:15 and 12:30pm ONLY by knocking on the exterior windows of room 126. These windows are to the left of the west side exterior door on the first floor of Margaret Jacks Hall, which faces the back east side of Building 420. Please do not knock on these windows after 12:30pm when the talk has started. We will not be able to come out and open the door for you at that point.