Brittany Johnson-Matthews

Brittany Johnson-Matthews is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at George Mason University, where she directs the INSPIRED Lab (INterdisciplinary Software Practice Improvement REsearch and Development). Her work bridges software engineering, human-computer interaction, and machine learning to address sociotechnical challenges in software development.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina State University (2017)
• B.A. in Computer Science from the College of Charleston (2011)

Dr. Johnson-Matthews' research centers on sociotechnical problems in software development, with emphasis on developer productivity, tool support, work environments, ethics, and software for social good. She employs interdisciplinary approaches to study how developers interact with tools and environments, particularly in the context of emerging technologies like AI. Her work often involves empirical studies and tool development to promote fairness, inclusivity, and well-being in software engineering.

Analysis of her recent publications (2023-2026) reveals a consistent focus on the human aspects of software engineering. Key themes include the impact of AI-assisted tools on developer well-being, fairness in machine learning toolkits, and ethical considerations in software development. Her research frequently involves building and evaluating tools (e.g., for detecting harmful terminology or causal testing) and conducting empirical studies across open source and industrial settings.

She leads the INSPIRED Lab, which fosters interdisciplinary collaboration to improve software practices through research in human-centered computing, empirical software engineering, and ethical AI.