Lindah Kotut

Lindah Kotut is an Assistant Professor at the University of Washington's Information School, where she investigates the convergence of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Indigenous Knowledge systems, and privacy/cybersecurity. Her work centers on amplifying marginalized voices through technology design, particularly focusing on communities with limited access to storytelling tools and those facing systemic inequities in digital spaces.

Her research explores how unwritten stories and indigenous knowledge can reshape ethical technology development, addressing critical gaps in privacy frameworks, cybersecurity practices, and algorithmic accountability. Kotut employs community-centered methodologies like Griot-Style research to co-design tools that empower marginalized groups while challenging dominant narratives in computing. Current projects examine financial technology disparities, climate action AI, and bodily autonomy in surveillance contexts.

Recent publications reveal a consistent trajectory toward socio-technical justice, with work spanning mobile financial services, social media surveillance, and indigenous knowledge preservation. Her 15 most recent articles demonstrate interdisciplinary reach across CHI, GROUP, and CSCW venues, with growing emphasis on climate technology and stakeholder-driven AI governance.

• Best Paper, Honorable Mention Award (ACM GROUP 2023)
• Best Paper, Honorable Mention Award (ACM CHI 2022)
• Best Poster Award (ACM GROUP 2020)
• Outstanding STEM Dissertation Award (2021)

Kotut actively mentors PhD and masters students through the iSchool program, with current advisees including NSF Graduate Research Fellow Amelia Lee Doğan. Her lab recruits students with technical programming skills or qualitative research expertise for projects at the HCI-privacy-indigenous knowledge intersection. Funding supports undergraduate summer internships via CRA DREU and DUB REU programs, with recent work examining AI for sustainability and financial technology ethics.

She leads a research lab focused on contextual canaries and speculative design for marginalized communities, with ongoing projects examining smartphone sharing ethics, indigenous knowledge preservation, and algorithmic fairness. Recent keynote engagements include the MHCI+D Immersion Studio on 'Stories of Agency and Power.'