Helena Mentis

Helena Mentis is a Professor in the Department of Information Systems and Affiliate Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). She directs the Bodies in Motion Lab (BiMLab) and is a core member of the Human Centered Computing graduate program and the Interactive Systems Research Center. Her work focuses on sociotechnical systems in healthcare, including telemedicine, surgical collaboration, and technologies for older adults with cognitive impairments. Mentis holds a PhD from Penn State, an MS from Cornell, and a BS from Virginia Tech.

Her research spans human-computer interaction (HCI), computer supported cooperative work (CSCW), and health informatics. Key projects include developing telemedicine systems for surgical training, sensor-based systems for Parkinson’s patients, and online safety tools for older adults with mild cognitive impairment. She has received significant NSF funding, including a $518k CAREER grant for surgical telementoring systems and $499k for cybersecurity research with older adults.

Her articles analyze topics like the effectiveness of telementoring in surgery, ethical design of medical systems, and collaborative security settings for couples facing cognitive challenges. Mentis has pioneered frameworks for responsible computing education and peer-led ethics training in computing curricula. Prior to UMBC, she held postdoctoral roles at Harvard Medical School, Microsoft Research, and the University of Cambridge.

Current initiatives include expanding healthcare workforce access via telemedicine and designing inclusive systems that address marginalized groups in digital health. Her work emphasizes participatory methods, ensuring often-overlooked stakeholders (e.g., trainee surgeons, motor disability patients) shape technological solutions.