Haiyi Zhu

Haiyi Zhu is the Daniel P. Siewiorek Associate Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and Director of Undergraduate Programs at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII). She leads the Social AI group, focusing on human-AI interaction and responsible computing. Her research integrates AI with social processes in domains like mental health, gig work, and child welfare, supported by NSF, NIMH, and industry grants.

Education:

• B.S. Computer Science, Tsinghua University
• M.S. & Ph.D. Human-Computer Interaction, Carnegie Mellon University

Research Focus: Designs AI systems to augment human expertise while mitigating societal harms. Key domains include mental health support tools, gig worker empowerment, algorithmic fairness in public services, and community-driven AI evaluation. Emphasizes mixed-methods approaches combining computational techniques with qualitative insights.

Publication Trends: Recent work demonstrates strong focus on real-world AI deployment challenges—particularly in high-stakes social contexts—with themes of worker agency, algorithmic transparency, and stakeholder-centered design. Methodologies span VR/AR simulations, LLM interventions, and policy-technology co-design.

Awards:

• Allen Newell Award for Research Excellence
• 10+ Best Paper Awards (CHI, CSCW, CHIWORK)
• NSF CRII Award
• IEEE SaTML 2023 Best Paper (Top 1%)

Advising & Grants: Mentors 8+ PhD students in HCI/social computing. Leads multi-year NSF projects including a $2M initiative on community-centered gig economies. Collaborates with public sector agencies and NGOs.

Labs: Directs the Social AI Lab (Newell-Simon Hall) developing AI systems for societal well-being. The lab emphasizes participatory design with frontline workers and marginalized communities.