Charlotte Abrams and Lynn Phan Vo, both graduate students at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, spent two months in Chile working at Universidad Mayor’s Society and Health Research Center (CISS). Their practicum focused on the impact of automatization of the labor market in workers’ mental health and was performed under the supervision of Esteban Calvo, a faculty member both at Mailman and at Universidad Mayor. It was partly financed by the International Labor Organization (ILO).
Both students are convinced that the incorporation of machines and robots in the labor market will have profound repercussions on the health and welfare of the population in the coming decades. “I was very excited about the chance to be at the forefront of research being done involving how automating the workforce will impact public health. This is a very important and relevant issue today," said Charlotte Abrams. she also added that during the practicum, she - along with Lyn Phan - reviewed the literature to examine the types and proportions of jobs at risk and the potential mental health effects that automation can have on those who lose them. "We also looked at individual-level data in Latin American countries to further investigate our aims”, added Vo.
