Sara Colombo

Sara Colombo is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), where she leads the “Inclusive Design and Thoughtful Technology” squad. She holds strong international affiliations as an Affiliated Researcher at the Center for Design at Northeastern University, Visiting Professor at Politecnico di Milano, and Associate Member of the Chaire Diament on Design for e-Mental Health at Université du Québec à Montréal.

Her educational background includes a PhD in Interaction Design and an MS in Design & Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, with visiting research at RISE, Sweden. She previously held positions at MIT as Postdoctoral Associate, Senior Research Associate, Project Lead, and Lecturer, and at Northeastern University as Research Scientist and Principal Investigator.

Sara’s research focuses on the societal and experiential impacts of digital technologies, especially machine learning and data-driven systems. She employs design fiction and speculative design to explore ethical and anticipatory aspects of technology. Her work emphasizes adaptive physical-digital systems and is applied in healthcare and digital wellbeing domains, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Her recent publications (2020–2025) reflect a consistent trajectory in human-centered design, cardiac telerehabilitation, caregiver support, and ambiguity in self-tracking wearables. These works demonstrate interdisciplinary collaboration and a focus on real-world impact through prototyping and qualitative research.

• TIER 1 research grant to explore how design can help to reduce misinformation on social media

Sara has led and contributed to multiple research projects, including “Caring for Caregivers” and “Design for Emergency.” She has supervised students and mentored junior researchers, though specific names are not listed. Her work integrates grants, public engagement, and collaborative design practices across institutions.

She is actively involved in research labs and teams such as the Interaction and Experience Design Lab at Politecnico di Milano, the MIT Design Lab, and the Center for Design at Northeastern University. At TU/e, she leads her own research squad, fostering innovation in inclusive and ethically grounded design.