David Ribeiro Lamas is a Professor of Human-Computer Interaction at Tallinn University's School of Digital Technologies, where he heads the Human-Computer Interaction group. He also serves as the chair of the Estonian chapter of ACM's SIGCHI and as an expert member of IFIP's TC13. With an extensive international career spanning the USA, UK, Portugal, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Afghanistan, and Estonia, he has developed deep expertise in designing organizations, communities, and human technologies. His educational background includes a PhD in Human Computer Interaction from Portsmouth University (1998), an MSc in Computer Science from Minho University (1994), and an Honours BSc in Informatics/Applied Mathematics from Portucalense University (1989). He also completed specialized studies in Strategic Management at the Polytechnic University of Catalunya and a postdoc in Augmented and Virtual Environments at Michigan State University. Lamas' research primarily focuses on design theory and methodologies, with recent work emphasizing trust in technology, facial recognition systems, and vibrotactile interfaces. He has pioneered academic programs including the Master in Human-Computer Interaction and the Masters in Interaction Design (run online with Cyprus University of Technology). His approach combines theoretical rigor with practical application, particularly in cross-cultural contexts. His publication record shows a strong trend toward understanding human trust in technology systems, with significant work on facial recognition, vibrotactile feedback systems, and trust frameworks. His research spans both theoretical contributions to HCI methodology and practical applications addressing real-world challenges in digital accessibility and user experience. 2025 HCI Pioneer Award from IFIP TC13 2025 Tallinn Conference Ambassador 2024 IFIP Service Award 2015 Badge of Merit from Tallinn University 2011 Best Paper Award for work on Estonia's M-Government Services 2000 Best Paper Award for research on Web navigation guidance Lamas has successfully supervised forty-eight master students, seven doctoral students, and two post-doc researchers, and currently supervises twelve doctoral students. His leadership extends to numerous research projects including COST Actions on Interactive Narrative Design and Human-Computer Interaction methodologies. He founded and leads STARTS.EE, Tallinn University's initiative promoting encounters between science, technology, and the arts. He has been instrumental in building the Estonian HCI community through seasonal courses on Experimental Interaction Design, Research Methods in HCI, and the Design of Human Technologies since 2010. His World Usability Day events bring together over 600 researchers and practitioners annually from the Baltics, Nordic countries, and beyond. Lamas has chaired major international conferences including INTERACT 2019, NordiCHI 2020, AfriCHI 2021, and ICIDIS 2021.






