My work stems from my passion for the use of technology for health and well-being, with AI and robotics being the primary focus given their potential for risks, as well as their powerful benefits. My work includes people’s interactions with AI-generated content, public discourse on AI, parasocial interactions with AI and robots, and the ways that AI and robots can be used for mental well-being. I work closely with my advisor Dr. Melanie Green, as well as Dr. Yotam Ophir, in their labs where we investigate the influences of these emerging technologies. Outside the program, I also am a licensed mental health counselor with a virtual private practice where I see clients from across New York State. In my free time I play a lot of Dungeons and Dragons (both running it for groups and being a player), cook, bake, and explore small/local cafes and book shops. 

Educational Background

• PhD (present), University at Buffalo
• MS, University at Buffalo
  
• BA, SUNY Geneseo

Courses Taught

• COM 240: Mass Communication (Fall 2024)

Current Research

• Topic modeling of discourse on chatbot reviews and public forums
• Experimentation on narrative perceptions of AI versus human stories
• Creation of and interactions with personality in interactive AI

Academic Achievements

Wong R., Glowacki Z. R., Raffloer G., Frank M. G., (2024, March 13). The Truth, The Lie and the AI: How AI Lie Detection Statements Influence Trust Perceptions [Conference presentation]. Presented at AI4ExceptionED Year 1 Site visit - Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Science (JMBS)

Raffloer, G; Green, M.C. (March 26 – 30, 2024) Of Love and Lasers: Perceptions of Romance and Sci-Fi Narratives Written by AI Versus A Human [conference presentation]. Presented at Eastern Communication Association, 2024, Boston, MA

Raffloer, G., Ophir, Y., Suresh Thamanakapalya, S., Wang, R. (April 4, 2024) Best (Digital) Friends Forever: Topic Modeling and Cluster Analyses of Chatbot App Reviews [conference presentation]. Presented at Rochester Institute for Technology Annual Student Research in Communication Conference, Rochester, NY.

Raffloer, G; Green, M.C. (June 20 – 24, 2024) Of Love and Lasers: Perceptions of Romance and Sci-Fi Narratives Written by AI Versus A Human [conference presentation]. Presented at International Communication Association 2024, Gold Coast, Australia

Raffloer, G., Ophir, Y., Kountz, K., Walter, D., Wang, R., Suresh Thamanakapalya, S. (June 20 – 24, 2024) Approaching Singularity: Topic Modeling of Public Discourse on Artificial Intelligence Over Time [panel discussion]. Presented at International Communication Association 2024, Gold Coast, Australia