Hawra Rabaan

Hawra Rabaan is a Research Fellow at the College of Information Studies, University of Maryland, where she collaborates with Dr. Sheena Erete on social justice-oriented research bridging academia, technology, and community pursuits.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction and Social Justice from Indiana University
• M.S. in Information and Communication Technology for Development from the University of Colorado Boulder

Dr. Rabaan's research pioneers culturally grounded technology design for marginalized communities, with emphasis on domestic violence intervention. She employs mixed-methods approaches including participatory design, quantitative analysis, and qualitative fieldwork to develop sociotechnical systems that respect cultural values while advancing gender equity. Her feminist framework integrates Islamic feminism and transformative justice principles to address systemic inequities.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• Honorable Mention at ACM CHI Conference (top 5% of submissions)

As a Research Fellow, Dr. Rabaan contributes to Dr. Erete's lab through community-engaged scholarship, mentorship of graduate students, and development of grant-funded projects addressing technology's role in social justice. Her eight top-tier publications demonstrate rigorous scholarship at the HCI-social justice intersection.

She maintains active involvement in international research collaborations, continuing her master's work in Morocco and Cameroon while expanding community-based projects through UMD's institutional partnerships.