معرفی
Dr. Elisa Rubegni is a Senior Lecturer in the Computing and Communications department at Lancaster University, where she has been employed since August 2023 (previously as a Lecturer from September 2019). She holds multiple affiliations across the university including the Morecambe Bay Curriculum, Pervasive Systems, Data Science Institute, Lancaster Intelligent, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Centre, and LIRA - Society and Human Behaviour.
Her educational background includes a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Florence (2003-2006) and a BSc + MSc in Communication Sciences from the University of Siena (1997-2001).
Dr. Rubegni's research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction with particular expertise in Children-Computer Interaction (CCI). She investigates how interactive technology impacts children's development of narrative thinking, language, communication, and cognitive skills. Her work emphasizes advancing understanding of digital technology's impact on Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion; developing methods to include stakeholders in design processes; and investigating design spaces through prototyping. She employs an ecological approach grounded in cultural psychology, combining psychology theories, social science methods, and design practice.
Her recent scholarly output shows a clear trajectory toward AI ethics for children, gender representation in technology, and critical thinking development through digital storytelling and social robotics. Her research increasingly examines biases in generative AI, children's interactions with social robots, and co-designing inclusive educational tools that challenge gender stereotypes.
Dr. Rubegni supervises three postgraduate research students and has served as an external PhD examiner at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. She has also supervised PhD candidates externally at the University of Trento and University of Lancaster.
Her work extends to public engagement through media coverage of projects like CARE-Kids (challenging gender stereotypes) and research on children's interactions with social robots, demonstrating her commitment to translating academic research into practical applications that benefit children's development and education.
