Azza Abouzied

Azza Abouzied is Associate Professor of Computer Science at New York University Abu Dhabi and Global Network Associate Professor at the Tandon School of Engineering. She serves as Vice Provost for Faculty Advancement and Engagement at NYUAD starting September 2024. Her research bridges database systems and human-computer interaction, focusing on intuitive tools for data querying and decision-making in uncertain, collaborative environments.

• PhD, Yale University (2013)
• MPhil, Yale University
• MSc, Dalhousie University
• BSc, Dalhousie University

Her research centers on human-data interaction, designing systems that make data accessible to non-experts. She combines techniques from UI design, machine learning, and databases to build tools that simplify complex data tasks. Her earlier work focused on example-driven querying and synthetic data generation, while her recent work explores in-database prescriptive analytics and decision support in domains like disinformation mitigation and epidemic planning.

Her publications span database and HCI venues, with a recurring theme of enhancing usability without sacrificing scalability. She co-founded Hadapt, a Big Data analytics platform, and has led interdisciplinary research through the Human-Data Interaction Lab and the Center for Interacting Urban Networks. Her teaching includes foundational courses such as Database Systems, Operating Systems, and Data, as well as the critical thinking course Techruption.

• VLDB Test of Time Award (2019)
• Best Paper Award in Database Systems
• Honorable Mention in HCI Publications

Azza mentors undergraduate capstone students and advises prospective PhDs, research assistants, and postdocs. She is actively involved in academic leadership, having chaired NYUAD’s faculty council in 2024 and co-chaired the SIGMOD 2025 program. Her work emphasizes empowering users to critically engage with data and AI, both in research and education.