IST professor sees empathy innovating tech

Rena Malai — Wed, 17 May 2023 13:44:51 +0000

IST professor sees empathy innovating tech Rena Malai Wed, 05/17/2023 - 09:44

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Blending empathy with technology has increasingly become a part of tech conversations, particularly when it comes to AI.

IST Assistant Professor Nora McDonald

George Mason University Information Sciences and Technology (IST) Assistant Professor Nora McDonald whole heartedly embraces the concept. She makes it a priority to help her students learn how to ask the right empathetic questions while teaching Human Computer Interaction (HCI), one of IST’s newest concentrations.

“I see it as my primary role to help students acquire the skills they need to think about how people use technology and apply an empathic approach to their work,” McDonald said.

Through McDonald’s undergraduate training as an English major, she has always liked exploring insights into humanity and what makes people tick. She has grown concerned over the years when it comes to how AI-driven technology is used, particularly when it comes to the privacy and well-being of vulnerable or marginalized populations, including youth.

“Research suggests that the more people use AI-driven social media, the more they will be pushed into the rabbit hole of scrolling. This can trigger depression, body dysmorphia, and isolation,” McDonald said. “One of the areas I am focused on is the impact of AI and social media use on youth well-being, sense of self, sense of agency, and overall health in general.”

A Philadelphia native, McDonald has been at Mason for about a year. She sees it as an exciting place for IST research and learning, with plenty of opportunities.

“Mason’s location is at the doorstep of so many industry partners,” McDonald said. “From government offices to nonprofits, IST is rapidly growing. There is so much opportunity here, and there is such enthusiasm from a diverse faculty for collaboration.”

McDonald’s current research projects focus on intersectional privacy and information seeking strategies of vulnerable and marginalized individuals in various contexts, including public technology resources like libraries and reproductive health. She also focuses on teens and AI and looks at ways to support a healthier engagement with technology.

“A theme of my work, believe it or not, is how marginalized and vulnerable groups turn to low or no technology strategies that are, for example, more practical and privacy protective,” she said.

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Information Sciences and Technology Department

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