Sheena Erete

Dr. Sheena Erete is an Associate Professor at the University of Maryland's College of Information Studies. Her research focuses on co-designing socio-cultural technologies and policies with communities to address structural oppression in areas including violence prevention, education, civic engagement, and health equity. She is affiliated with the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland (AIM), Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL), and Values-Centered Artificial Intelligence (VCAI) Initiative.

Her interdisciplinary research spans Human-Computer Interaction, Social Justice, and Community-Based Participatory Design, with emphasis on creating equitable outcomes for marginalized populations. She co-founded Digital Youth Divas, an award-winning STEM program for Black and Latina youth, and develops technologies supporting community violence prevention efforts.

Recent publications (2023-2025) explore power dynamics in technology design through feminist and anti-oppressive frameworks, examining themes including:

• Community-driven AI and data analysis methods
• Intersectionality in computing education
• Decolonization of HCI practices
• Ethical considerations in civic technology
• Participatory design for public sector innovation

Awards and Honors

• Best Paper Award (ACM CHI)
• Best Paper Award (ACM CSCW)
• Best Paper Award (ACM SIGCSE)
• Diversity and Inclusion Award

Dr. Erete currently advises students and leads research projects including the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships (CSGrad4US). She directs community-engaged research through partnerships with nonprofit organizations and grassroots initiatives.