Saba Kawas is an Assistant Professor in the Extended Reality and Games Development Program at the Department of Computer Science, within the Faculty of Information Technology, at the University of Applied Science Private University. Prior to joining FIT at ASU, she was a Research Scientist and Faculty Member at the University of Maine’s School of Computing and Information Science, and a Research Fellow at the GroupLens Research Center at the University of Minnesota.
Dr. Kawas’s primary research interests include Human-Computer Interaction, Interaction Design for Children, Ubiquitous Computing, Computer Science Education, Accessibility, and Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence. Her research focuses on leveraging innovative technologies to develop solutions that address systemic social issues in education and healthcare, with an emphasis on equity and access. Her work combines participatory action research, human-centered design, and technology development, integrating theories from learning science, human development, and social sciences. She has designed and evaluated technologies ranging from mobile applications to AI-based systems in the fields of education, health, family, and accessibility. Recently, her research explores the applications of Artificial Intelligence in education and creative industries.
Dr. Kawas earned her Ph.D. in Information Science and Technology from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2022. She holds two master’s degrees: one in Computer Graphics, Media Arts, and Technology from North Carolina State University, and a Master of Science in Computing from the University of Washington. Dr. Kawas was named a Computing Innovation Fellow (2022-2024) and has received multiple Best Paper nominations at leading computing conferences in areas such as Interaction Design & Children, Computing Education, and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing.