About me

I am pursuing my PhD in Computer Science in the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. My advisors are Gregory Abowd and Rosa Arriaga, and I am a member of the Ubiquitous Computing Group. I received my BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University in 2005, and my Masters in Computer and Information Technology from the University of Pennsylvania in 2008.

My research interests lie in the area of Human Computer Interaction. For my thesis research, I am exploring the use of interactive software to provide social skills instruction for individuals with autism. Specifically, I am using artificial intelligence and crowdsourcing techniques to facilitate the authoring of interactive software to provide individualized social problem solving skills training.

I come from a mixed background; my father is Kuwaiti, and my mother is Cuban. I grew up in Kuwait. Located in the north-east corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area. Kuwait has a highly cosmopolitan and techno-savvy society with a diverse and vibrant culture. Kuwaiti's fascination with high-tech devices is supported by the government, which enables the easy flow of all types of tech gadgets into the country. Despite all this, the influence of Islamic and Arab culture on Kuwait's architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle is prominent.

Fatima