Explore Asim’s journey in our latest We Are Schmidt Science Fellows film

What if mental health support could be as flexible as the lives we lead, available whenever and however it’s needed?

Asim Gazi, a 2023 Schmidt Science Fellow, is building intelligent algorithms to help wearable devices, like smartwatches, anticipate when a user is stressed or anxious and suggest interventions in the moment.

Inspired by his family’s experiences, Asim pivoted from biomedical engineering to computer science to design AI algorithms to personalize real-time support and intervention, bridging critical gaps in mental healthcare.

In April 2025, Asim was awarded almost one million dollars by the NIH National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) via a prestigious K99/R00 Pathway to Independence Award. This funding will allow Asim to advance his work on personalized mobile health (mHealth) systems.

Asim, based at Harvard University, will use machine learning and behavioral science to power just-in-time adaptive interventions, mHealth technology that adapts dynamically to a person’s needs in the moment.

“I want to acknowledge the Schmidt Science Fellows Program for supporting my pivot from sensor informatics to statistical reinforcement learning, “ Asim says, “The past year and a half has been pivotal in laying the groundwork for my K99/R00 research on Uncertainty-Informed Decision Making for Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions.”

Through this research, Asim envisages a world in which access to health support is available whenever needed, like having your own health coach, where wearable technology can support the health and well-being of future generations.