Dr Maria Angela Ferrario

Lecturer in Digital Technology and Environmental Change

Research Overview

I work at the intersection of human computer interaction (HCI) and software engineering (SE), my research adopts agile and participatory methods to technology development, systematically investigates human values in computing, and the role of digital technology in environmental and societal changes. I work across domains including public place design, bio-data sharing, and renewable energy forecasting. I am the Principal Investigator of EPSRC-funded project Values-First SE and a Co-investigator on Ensemble. In the past, I worked as the team lead of interdisciplinary projects such as Catalyst and Clasp focusing respectively on digital action for social change and personalised health IoT.

Before joining academia I worked as a project manager for the European agency ERNACT focusing on the social and economic development of EU crossborder regions through digital innovation.

Current Teaching

I am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and I convene the Software (Core) Studio module (SCC.230) on the Software Engineering BSc (Hons) programme. The studio approach focuses on software product delivery, project management, responsible and reflective SE practice through continuous formative feedback. I also teach two modules on the MSc in E-Business and Innovation programme: Digital Technology in Context (MSCI.520) and Digital Innovation (MSCI.528)

Qualifications

Education:

PhD in Computer Science (AI/on-line intelligent Systems, Computing Department UCD, Dublin, Ireland);
MSc in Multimedia Systems Design (Engineering Department, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland)
BA/MA in Philosophy and Social Psychology (Universita' Cattolica, Milan, Italy).

Career Details

Summary: I have over fifteen years’ project management experience both within and outside academia. This include a number of EPSRC-funded digital and soical innovation research projects, and large multi-agency e-government projects outside academia (funded by e.g. INTERREG and PEACE EU programmes).

Current/Past Positions:

2016/ to date: Lecturer, School of Computing and Communications (SCC), Lancaster University, UK
2014/16: Research Fellow, SCC, Lancaster University, UK
2009/14: Senior Research Associate, SCC, Lancaster University, UK
2006/09: Senior Research Associate in Digital Cultures, Academy of Irish Cultural Heritages, University of Ulster, Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UK.
2002/06: Project Manager (Internet Technologies), European Regional Network for the Application of Communication Technologies (ERNACT), Letterkenny, Republic of Ireland, IE.

PhD Supervision Interests

Interested in a broad range of HCI/SE topics with a societal import (e.g. health, environment, civic technologies); currently, but not exclusively, focused on: designing tools and techniques for values mapping in software production, detecting social biases in technical systems, developing digital technologies that embed social values.