Professor of Information Science Nicola Dell has been awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. The award, called the Genius Grant, provides recipients with $800,000 to be used to impact society in significant and beneficial ways, according to MacArthur’s website.
Dell was recognized for developing technological interventions to address the needs of overlooked populations, particularly victims of intimate partner violence.
According to CETA’s website, the vision for her signature project, the Clinic to End Technology Abuse, is that “everyone should be able to freely use technology without fear of harm from their abusive partner or others. ”.
Our research focuses on the interface between technology and humanity. She works to develop interventions to prevent the harmful use of technology for victims of intimate partner violence. She also studies the impact of abuse on family caregivers and school teachers in overlooked communities, including India.
Dell’s interest in human-computer interaction stems from his experience growing up in Zimbabwe.
She was formally introduced to HCI while a graduate student at the University of Washington, combining her knowledge of technological advances with her experience in underserved communities in Zimbabwe.
leaderboard 2
With the MacArthur grant, Dell aims to expand the reach of CETA.
“The goal is to grow clinics in the U.S. and around the world,” Dell said. “We want to expand the clinic’s reach and support others building technology clinics for overlooked communities.”
Dr. Vince Bartle, a candidate under Dell, was drawn to her research because she was interested in “what it means to be human, to care for one another, and how that can work together with technology.” He said it was the reason he decided to participate. Bartle also said he wanted to work with Dell because he was “the kindest professor[he]knows.”
Newsletter registration
According to Bartle, this human-centered approach is evident in Dell’s daily interactions and work ethic.
“It’s clear that she’s really focused and spends a lot of time on her work,” Bartle said. “She has proven time and time again that she does this while being focused, driving the vision, and being kind and thoughtful along the way.”
Ian Solano-Camaico, a doctoral student, agreed that Dell, as his advisor, has “fostered a favorable environment for (him) to succeed.”
“As a researcher, I learned from her guidance about the work and complexity of academia and navigating the employment field,” Solano-Camaico said. “She has my best interests at heart as an advisor and is supportive of me.”
Dell’s advice for students interested in human-computer interaction is to focus on collaboration and community.
“A key element is community engagement and working with partners who have expertise,” Dell said. “Who can I partner with? How can I contribute to their work?”
Sarvesh Prabhu can be reached at (email protected).
