Hello, my name is
Zaidat Ibrahim, Ph.D
Ph.D Informatics & Human-Computer Interaction
Indiana University, Bloomington
- zaibrahi@iu.edu
About Me
I am a Research Scientist at the Robotics & AI Institute, and an interdisciplinary researcher passionate about designing equitable, contextually grounded technologies that meaningfully serve underserved and marginalized communities. My work bridges human-computer interaction (HCI), personal health informatics, and the societal implications of AI and robotics, with a focus on how technology, culture, and ethics intersect.
I earned my Ph.D. in Informatics and Human-Computer Interaction from Indiana University Bloomington, where I worked in the ProHealth Lab , advised by Dr. James Clawson and mentored by Dr. Katie Siek. My doctoral research examined how sociotechnical systems can better support people’s health journeys (particularly menstruation and pregnancy), through culturally responsive design and responsible innovation.I am deeply grateful for the invaluable guidance and mentorship of my dissertation committee: Dr. Selma Sabanovic, Dr. Christina (Chia-Fang) Chung and Dr. Elizabeth Kaziunas.
Professionally, I have conducted research and contributed to product development at Microsoft Research, Genentech Inc, and the Robotics & AI Institute. My work blends deep qualitative insights with technical rigor to reimagine how health technologies and emerging innovations in robotics and AI can center equity, ethics and values. My research interests include: (1) Sociotechnical systems for Health, Robotics & AI, (2) Culturally responsive design, (3) Data governance.
My contributions have been recognized with a Top 5% Best Paper Award at CHI, the MIT EECS Rising Stars in EECS honor, and a Mastercard Foundation award. My work has been featured in ACM CHI, Health Services Research, The Guardian Nigeria, and The Conversation. Beyond research, I am deeply committed to mentorship and community engagement. During my doctoral studies, I mentored undergraduate researchers through Indiana University’s Emerging Scholars Program at the Center of Excellence for Women & Technology (CEWiT). I also volunteer with NaijaCoders, expanding computer science education in Nigeria. In 2024, I spent some time at the Microsoft Research New England, collaborating with Dr. Mary Gray on the emerging field of AI and ethics—an experience that strengthened my commitment to designing socially responsible, inclusive technologies.
Outside of work, you’ll find contributing to Google Local Guide, catching up on TV shows, and reading a book from my ever-growing Amazon wishlist. You can follow my reading journey on Goodreads (also check out some of my favorite books here).
I welcome opportunities to collaborate with individuals and organizations advancing inclusive technology, robotics, health equity, and interdisciplinary innovation. I am open to speaking engagements, mentorship, advisory or board roles, and consulting on research-driven initiatives that promote equity, innovation, and meaningful social impact.
Highlights
2026
January 2026: Full paper accepted to CHI 2026 (Pre-print).
2025
December 2025: Selected for the inaugural cohort of the LaunchGood Ambassadors For Good program.
December 2025: Won 1st Prize and the People’s Choice Award at a pitch competition. Grateful to everyone who believed in my ability to deliver.
November 2025: Co-authored CCC Report on “Supporting At-Risk users through responsible computing ” [Link]
November 2025: Our manuscript, led by Velvet Klass (Flinders University), has been accepted for publication in the Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal.
November 2025:Virtual Guest Lecture for Indiana University’s Experience Design Course.
Sepember 2025: I am serving as an AC for CHI 2026!
July 2025: Began my role at the Robotics & AI (RAI) Institute.
May 2025: Luddy graduation & Hooding ceremonies.
April 2025: I successfully defended my dissertation 🎉 🎉 (Alhamdullilah)
April 2025: New publication – “Taking Stock of Studies Using Asynchronous Remote Communities (ARC): A Scoping Review”
April 2025: I’m honored to serve for my third term on UC Berkeley’s African American Initiative Scholarship review committee.
March 2025: Two special recognitions for outstanding reviews for CHI 2025 Papers.
February 2025: Invited Guest talk @ Pariveda Solutions (Los Angeles)
2024
December 2024: Invitation to CCC workshop Supporting At-Risk Users through Responsible Computing (Washington DC)
September 2024: I’m attending the Health & AI Workshop by Google Research Africa.
August 2024: Selected as a Rising Stars in EECS 2024 (MIT EECS Rising Stars ) !
August 2024: Very fortunate to have been offered a fall internship at Microsoft Research under the mentorship of Mary Gray
July 2024: Selected as a DigiStars Scholar– I will be presenting at the DigiStars Annual Symposium at University of Utah!
June 2024: My colleagues and I were Featured on Luddy News.
May 2024: Invited research presentation at Victoria Interactive eXperiences with Information (VIXI) Lab at University of Victoria, Canada (In-person). {See my talk history }.
May 2024: Awarded Berkeley Big Ideas Challenge/Mastercard Alumni Scholars Impact Fund for Project: Naijacoder (Grand Pitch May 15th, 2024)
May 2024: I will be attending CHI 2024 in Hawaii. My presentation schedule is listed here.
May 2024: Excited to share that I’ve accepted a PhD Research Intern position at Microsoft Research.
April 2024: Our Paper received an Honourable Mention award 🏆 (Top 5% of submissions)
April 2024: Awarded merit-based IU Graduate & Professional Student Government (GPSG) Travel Awards
March 2024: Selected to participate in Velocity Conference jointly sponsored by Kelley Business School/UC Berkeley (March 2024 | Berkeley, California)
January 2024: First-author papers accepted into ACM CHI 2024 (Details on presentation schedule coming soon).
January 2024: Co-authored Case Study Paper accepted into CHI 2024 (Details on presentation schedule coming soon) .
January 2024: Finalist for 2024 Berkeley Big Ideas Challenge/Mastercard Alumni Scholars Impact Fund [You can also donate to support free education for students who are unable to afford it].
January 2024: Co-organizing ACM CHI 2024 Workshop: Fraudulence in HCI Research.