معرفی
Dr. Moushumi Sharmin is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Advisor in the Computer Science Department at Western Washington University's College of Science and Engineering. She has established herself as a leading researcher in human-computer interaction with a focus on autism technology and affective computing. Previously, she was a Research Assistant Professor in Computer Science at the University of Memphis where she collaborated with behavioral health scientists.
Dr. Sharmin's educational background includes:
- PhD in Computer Science (HCI) from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2013)
- MS in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science from Marquette University (2006)
- BSc in Computer Science and Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2003)
Her primary research interests focus on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Affective Computing, Mobile Health (mHealth), Interactive Visualization, and Autism technology. She specifically investigates how technology can support autistic individuals in educational settings, job interviews, and daily social interactions. Her work bridges the gap between technical innovation and practical applications for neurodiverse populations, with an emphasis on creating accessible, user-centered solutions that address real-world challenges faced by autistic individuals.
Dr. Sharmin's recent publications reveal a strong trend toward understanding and addressing the specific needs of autistic college students and young adults. Her research spans multiple domains including educational assessment techniques, emotion recognition technology, anxiety and stress management during isolation, and interview training simulations. She combines qualitative and quantitative methods to develop technology solutions that are both effective and accessible for neurodiverse individuals.
Her notable scientific achievements include:
- Arlan Norman Award for Excellence in Student Mentoring (Graduate Students), 2024
- Certificate of Appreciation from IEEE Computer Society as Program Chairs in Chief for IEEE CompSAC (2022-2024)
- NIH mHealth Scholar (2014)
- Best Paper Nomination at ACM Intelligent User Interfaces Conference (2012)
- Saburo Muroga Fellowship at UIUC (2006-2007)
Dr. Sharmin has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students across multiple institutions. At Western Washington University, she has advised students working on projects related to mHealth data visualization, stress management, and social networking safety. Previously at the University of Memphis, she guided research on interruption and availability in field studies, privacy preservation, and stress modeling from GPS traces. Her NEAT Research Lab has secured significant funding, including a $10.8 million NIH grant for the Center of Excellence for Mobile Sensor Data-to-Knowledge (MD2K).
Dr. Sharmin leads the NEAT Research Lab, which focuses on Neurodiversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Technology. The lab brings together interdisciplinary teams of computer scientists, psychologists, and autism specialists to develop innovative technology solutions for neurodiverse populations. Current projects include InterViewR (a mixed-reality interview training platform for autistic individuals), emotion recognition technology, and accessible approaches to music therapy. The lab emphasizes participant-centered design approaches that involve autistic individuals throughout the research and development process.
