Narges Mahyar

Narges Mahyar is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS). She is currently on sabbatical with the Aviz team at the Inria Center, University of Paris-Saclay. Her research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Information Visualization, and Digital Civics, aiming to empower communities through technology.

Education: She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Victoria, an MS in Information Technology from the University of Malaya, and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Tehran Azad University. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of British Columbia (2014–2016) and the University of California San Diego (2016–2018).

Research Interests: Her work addresses complex societal challenges like climate change, urban planning, and healthcare by designing inclusive technologies. Key areas include civic engagement, data visualization for equity, and integrating AR/VR for public participation. Notable projects include CommunityClick and RisingEMOTIONS, which enhance public input in decision-making.

Publications & Awards: With over 50 publications, her work has received prestigious awards including Best Paper Awards at CHI 2023, Eurovis 2022, and CSCW 2020. Her research emphasizes ethical design and inclusivity, particularly involving marginalized communities.

Grants & Advising: She has secured grants totaling over $1.4 million, including NSF funding for projects like "Mapping Instability". Advises PhD student Mahmood Jasim and collaborates with Ali Sarvghad and Pari Riahi on interdisciplinary research.

Labs & Teams: Leads the HCI-VIS Lab at UMass, focusing on social computing and visualization. Collaborates internationally with teams like Aviz and Inria on civic tech initiatives.