Connor Nitchals
Scholar | AI Ethics, Behavioral Science & Public Policy
Independent Researcher | Undergraduate Student, Fort Hays State University
United States
Email: connornitchals@ieee.org
Website: www.connornitchals.com
ORCID: 0009-0000-6762-3833
Professional Profile
Independent scholar and early-career researcher with a multidisciplinary research portfolio spanning artificial intelligence ethics, human–AI decision-making, educational psychology, public policy, computational science, and applied mathematics.
Author of three Springer Nature publications, including two research articles in AI and Ethics and a scholarly book review in Postdigital Science and Education. Research contributions address epistemic friction, AI sycophancy, meaningful human authority, cognitive autonomy, and responsible technological governance.
Academic experience includes independent theoretical research, systematic literature synthesis, mathematical and computational modeling, scholarly manuscript development, and academic peer-review service.
Research impact
Citations
622
h-index
14
i10-index
50
Google Scholar metrics supplied October 21, 2026. These are a dated snapshot, not independently verified live figures.
Education
Fort Hays State University
Undergraduate studies — Special Education
Current student; degree not yet awarded.
Tonganoxie High School
Secondary education; academic activities including Scholars Bowl, Science Olympiad, Band, and NEKMEA District Honor Band.
Peer-reviewed publications — Springer Nature
1. Designing for Disagreement: Epistemic Friction, Sycophancy, and the Ethics of Human–AI Advice—A Critical Integrative Review
Nitchals, C. (2026). AI and Ethics, 6, Article 522.
DOI: 10.1007/s43681-026-01379-7
Examines the ethical significance of intellectual disagreement in human–AI advisory relationships and proposes epistemic friction as a safeguard against sycophancy.
2. Meaningful Human Authority in AI Mediated Decision Making: An Authority Vector and Bottleneck Principle
Nitchals, C. (2026). AI and Ethics, 6, Article 552.
DOI: 10.1007/s43681-026-01414-7
Develops an authority-vector framework and bottleneck principle for evaluating substantive human authority within AI-mediated decision systems.
3. Review of Critical Perspectives on AI, Digitalisation, and Human-Centred Learning: Towards Reclaiming Digital Education Futures
Nitchals, C. (2026). Review of David C. L. Lim and Mohd Tajudin Md Ninggal (Eds.). Postdigital Science and Education.
DOI: 10.1007/s42438-026-00708-7
Scholarly review addressing artificial intelligence, digitalization, human-centered education, and the future of digital learning.
Research experience
Independent Researcher and Scholar | 2024–Present
Research activities include developing theoretical frameworks in AI ethics and governance, investigating human agency in algorithmic systems, synthesizing interdisciplinary research literature, and producing mathematical and computational studies.
Primary research programs include:
AI ethics and governance: Human authority, cumulative fairness, algorithmic accountability, epistemic agency, and AI-assisted decision-making.
Education and learning sciences: Special education, inclusive learning, inquiry-based pedagogy, assistive technology, and cognitive autonomy.
Behavioral science and public policy: Decision competence, socioeconomic inequalities, technology-mediated behavior, and governance.
Computational sciences: Monte Carlo simulation, numerical analysis, uncertainty quantification, continuum mechanics, thermoelasticity, optical systems, and computational chemistry.
Academic peer-review and editorial service
Scholarly Peer Reviewer | 2026–Present
IGI Global Scientific Publishing — Book Chapter Reviewer
Experience evaluating scholarly book chapter submissions and preparing structured assessments of originality, relevance, theoretical contribution, methodological quality, organization, and scholarly significance. Review activities include constructive recommendations to authors and confidential editorial feedback.
SAGE Publications — Industry and Higher Education
Peer-review activity associated with research at the intersection of higher education, institutional development, and industry-related educational practice.
Springer Nature — AI & Society
Invited scholarly peer-review activity addressing interdisciplinary research in artificial intelligence and society.
The records supplied establish these reviewing activities but do not provide a complete verified register of review dates, manuscript counts, or completed-review confirmations. Those details should be added only from reviewer certificates or editorial records.
Selected additional scholarly works
The following are distinct from the three Springer Nature publications above and should be listed under preprints, working papers, or other scholarly outputs according to their actual publication status.
Artificial intelligence and education
Epistemic Agency in AI-Mediated Education: A PRISMA 2020 Systematic Review and Philosophical Synthesis of Autonomy, Understanding, and Educational Authority.
Sector-Specific Ethics in Artificial Intelligence: Clinical Applications, Military Automation, Autonomous Vehicles, and Educational Technology.
Inquiry-Driven Learning in Special Education: A Systematic Review of Confirmation-Based Pedagogical Models.
Teaching Decision Science for Decision Competence: An Integrative Review and Curriculum-Assessment Framework.
Effectiveness of Active Learning Strategies in Undergraduate STEM Education: A Systematic Review.
Computational and mathematical sciences
Robust Broadband Dielectric Bragg Reflectors by Sensitivity-Regularized Chirp: Transfer-Matrix Proofs and Computational Uncertainty Analysis.
Robust Fisher-Information Echo Scheduling for Two-Component CPMG NMR Relaxometry Under Uncertain T2 Values: A Computational Study.
Computational Design Principles for Intramolecular Cyclization Reactions: A Density Functional Theory and NBO Perspective.
Network-Adaptive Climate-Finance Stress Testing: Monte Carlo Evidence on Transition-Linked Credit, Capital Buffers, and Systemic Resilience.
Entropy-Audited Thermoviscoelastic Modelling of Polymer Relaxation Under Non-Isothermal Loading: A Reproducible Numerical Study.
Behavioral sciences and public policy
Screen Time, Sleep, and Academic Interference.
Academic Revision: Digital Overload and Adolescent Anxiety.
Neurodevelopmental Conditions and Co-Occurring Health Issues.
Social Media, Social Capital, Civic Engagement, and Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Sociological Evidence and Mechanisms.
Economic and Social Determinants of Health Across the Life Course.
Scholarly book and chapter development
Research and manuscript development concerning cognitive autonomy, digital delegation, algorithmic environments, educational authority, and human judgment.
Selected book chapter project:
Cognitive Autonomy and Digital Delegation in Adolescence: Generative AI, Algorithmic Environments, and the Conditions of Independent Judgment.
Additional scholarly book proposals and chapter manuscripts address AI governance, educational technologies, and computational decision-making.
These are described as scholarly projects rather than published book chapters until their final bibliographic publication details are established.
Certifications and professional development
Advanced Clinical Research Coordinator Training — CCRPS, August 2026.
Human Subjects Research — Social-Behavioral-Educational research training, CITI Program.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for Higher Education and Research, CITI Program.
Research and technical competencies
Systematic and integrative literature reviews; theoretical framework development; academic writing and manuscript revision; scholarly peer review; mathematical modeling; Monte Carlo simulation; uncertainty analysis; computational research design; research ethics; interdisciplinary synthesis; and academic publishing workflows.
Academic and artistic activities
Scholars Bowl; Science Olympiad; Concert Band; NEKMEA District Honor Band; classical piano performance and instruction.
Academic profiles