About Me

I am a Professor (Human-Computer Interaction) in the School of Applied Psychology at University College Cork, Ireland.

I previously worked at Sheffield Hallam University (UK), at the Interaction Design Centre at the University of Limerick (Ireland), at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, and at the University of Siena (Italy).

I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Limerick and a Laurea in Communication Sciences (summa cum laude), from the University of Siena, both specialising in Human-Computer Interaction.

I am a human-computer interaction (HCI) and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) researcher and scholar, with interests in situated interaction, human experience of digital technology, interactive physical environments, cultural heritage, mobile and nomadic work and life practices, collaborative systems, and participation in design. I am concerned with the design of technologies to support human interaction, based on an understanding of the relationship between people, activities and their locales. In my work I adopt notions of co-design, place, embodiment and materiality in interaction.

You can find further information on my empirical research in the Projects page.

I have published extensively in HCI and CSCW, as well as having organised a number of international conferences and workshops on topics from cultural heritage technologies and ubiquitous computing, to mobile work and Harry Potter. My most recent books are “Human-Computer Interactions in Museums” and “Made To Work”

I have presented my research and teaching through over fifty invited presentations and keynote addresses in fourteen countries, and I am actively involved in the HCI and CSCW international community. I am an ACM Distinguished Speaker (2021-2024). I am an Associate Editor for the CSCW Journal (Springer), and I have been an Associate Chair for conferences such as ACM CHI, CSCW and DIS. I was Papers Co-Chair for ACM CSCW 2015 and General Chair of ECSCW 2017. I was Subcommittee Co-Chair for “Interaction Beyond the Individual” at CHI 2018 and CHI 2019. I am General Co-Chair (with Jeremy Birnholtz) for ACM CSCW 2021.
I am member of EUSSET (The European Society for Socially-Embedded Technologies), a Senior Member of the ACM (formerly Steering Committee member for ACM CSCW), and member of the British Psychological Society. I am an academic member of Lero – The Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software.

Since 2000, I have taught a variety of disciplines and supervised many research students under the broad umbrella of human-centred computing. At UCC, my teaching is primarily in the context of the BA in Psychology and Computing.
In the past, I led the development of the B.Sc. in Digital Media Design (which I also directed for 5 years) and I was very involved in the M.A./M.Sc. in Interactive Media (one of Ireland’s (and Europe’s!) earliest and longest-living courses in interaction design) both at the University of Limerick.

My specialities are: human-computer interaction, user-centred design, CSCW, participatory design, technology for cultural heritage, teaching and training, project management, event organisation and academic writing.

Contact me if you are interested in collaborations and discussions!