Prof. Effie Simou
University of West Attica, Greece

Title: From Algorithms to Understanding: Building Human–Machine Synergy through Communication

Abstract: Artificial intelligence is transforming decision-making in healthcare. However, no matter how sophisticated an algorithm is, it only works well if we can understand, trust, and share its meaning with others. When the information it generates is hidden behind technical language or unclear outputs, it loses its value for those who need it most. This is where effective communication is crucial. By using insights from communication science, ethics, and algorithm literacy, we can make complex data clearer, more meaningful, and more useful. We can explain the risk, uncertainty, and limits of AI in a way that helps clinicians make better decisions, patients feel informed and empowered, and communities trust the systems that impact their lives. AI can help us make better choices, but only when it “speaks” in a language that people can understand.

BIO: Effie Simou, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Communication and Mass Media in Public Health at the School of Public Health, University of West Attica. Her main research areas include doctor–patient communication, shared decision-making, health and media literacy, misinformation and risk communication, and the role of social skills in medicine. She has extensive experience in teaching and supervision at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Over the years, she has designed and introduced new curricula, developed innovative educational materials, and overseen course evaluations across a broad range of subjects, including public health policy, health communication, mass media and public health, health marketing, leadership, negotiation, and conflict management in healthcare settings. She has supervised more than 70 theses and delivered over 200 lectures and seminars in these areas, reflecting her long-standing dedication to education and mentorship.

Dr. Simou played a pivotal role in coordinating and scientifically editing Greece’s first National Public Health Action Plans (2008–2012) for the Ministry of Health and contributed to the strategic design of national public health policies. She has also built a strong profile in applied communication and public engagement, having designed and implemented national awareness and patient education campaigns such as “Med and Me,” “ Decision Aid,” “Pain Free,” and “OngoTalks,” in collaboration with NGOs, patient associations, and health sector stakeholders.

She is the founder of the Institute of Communication and Health & Mass Media Literacy, an initiative dedicated to fostering critical awareness, advancing media literacy, and empowering citizens to think critically and participate meaningfully in public health decision- making and in democratic dialogue.

Her work is defined by a deep commitment to bridging science and society, fostering critical thinking and accountability in public health, and promoting equitable access to reliable information, particularly for vulnerable populations, through participatory and inclusive approaches.