Keynote Speaker – 2026 UCLA Nursing Science and Innovation Conference

Dr. Maxim (Max) Topaz, PhD, RN, FAAN, FIAHSI, FACMI, is an Associate Professor of Nursing and Data Science at Columbia University and a Senior Research Scientist at VNS Health, the nation’s largest not-for-profit home health care provider. A pioneer in applying natural language processing to nursing documentation, his research leverages artificial intelligence, text mining, and automated speech and video processing to improve health care delivery and clinical decision-making.

Dr. Topaz has secured more than $25 million in federal research funding and published over 200 peer-reviewed articles focused on AI-driven solutions that predict patient deterioration from nursing notes, enhance clinical workflows, and reduce documentation burden for frontline nurses. His current work centers on developing practical AI applications designed to address nurses’ daily challenges in practice.

With clinical experience in internal medicine and urgent care, a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, and postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Topaz uniquely bridges nursing practice, research, and emerging technologies. His leadership and contributions to health policy, innovation, and informatics have earned him fellowships in the American Academy of Nursing, the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics, and the American College of Medical Informatics.