Keynotes for OzCHI 2024

Monday 2^nd December, 9.15 – 10.15am

Professor Paul Dourish

University of California, Irvine

Paul Dourish is Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, where he also holds courtesy appointments in Computer Science and Anthropology. Additionally, he serves as an Honorary Professorial Fellow in Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. His research spans Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Media, and Science and Technology Studies.

Paul is the author of several influential books, including Where the Action Is: The Foundations of Embodied Interaction (MIT Press, 2001), Divining a Digital Future: Mess and Mythology in Ubiquitous Computing (MIT Press, 2011, co-authored with Genevieve Bell), and The Stuff of Bits: An Essay on the Materialities of Information (MIT Press, 2017). He is a Fellow of both the ACM and BCS, a member of the CHI Academy, and a recipient of prestigious awards such as the AMIA Diana Forsythe Award and the CSCW Lasting Impact Award.

Tuesday 3^rd December, 9.15 – 10.15am

Professor Elizabeth Churchill

Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence

Elizabeth Churchill is the Department Chair and Professor of HCI at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Previously, she was Director of User Experience at Google, SF, USA. Elizabeth has an extensive background in psychology, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science. Her work spans social, computer, engineering, and data sciences, focusing on creating innovative applications and services for end users. She has led research teams at major tech companies, including Google, eBay, Yahoo, PARC, and FujiXerox. Her recent work centers on designing effective tools for developers and designers on the new Fuchsia operating system.

Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge, along with honorary doctorates from the University of Sussex and the University of Stockholm. She is a Fellow of the Association for Computer Machinery (ACM), a member of the ACM CHI Academy, and an ACM Distinguished Speaker. She served as ACM Vice President from 2018 to 2020. In 2016, she received the Citris-Banatao Institute Athena Award for Women in Technology for Executive Leadership and has been recognized as a top leader in UX design. Her recent accolades include ACM SIGCHI’s Lifetime Service Award (2023) and ACM’s Lifetime Practice Award (2024).

Wednesday 4^th December, 11.10am – 12.10pm

Professor Margot Brereton

Queensland University of Technology

Margot Brereton is Professor of HCI in Computer Science at Queensland University of Technology. She is a leading figure nationally and internationally in the collaborative design of humanitarian technologies and their interfaces. She works closely with communities whose needs are often overlooked in technology development, focusing on enhancing the lives and agency of older adults, neurodiverse individuals, and minimally-verbal children with autism. Her work also connects people to nature and supports the use of endangered Indigenous languages. Margot’s long-term engagements with these communities ensure that her designs fit seamlessly into people’s lives, allowing them to actively shape the technologies’ evolution.

Margot’s research centers on tangible, connected interfaces, AI, and machine learning technologies, contributing to innovative designs and new theoretical approaches in Human-Computer Interaction. She has served on the Australian Research Council College of Experts, and published more than 230 peer-reviewed papers. Beginning her career as an apprentice at Rolls Royce aircraft engines, she holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering Design from Stanford University, a Masters in Technology Policy from MIT, and a BSc.Eng(Hons) from the University of Bristol.