Sanorita Dey
Tenure-Track
Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering
College of Engineering and Information Technology
She/Her/Hers/Herself
About
I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering (CSEE) at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), where I joined in Fall 2020. I received my Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. My work is broadly situated in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), with a focus on designing and evaluating interactive systems that support learning, collaboration, and community engagement. My research examines how social and educational practices unfold in both online and offline settings, and how these insights can inform the design of intelligent, human-centered technologies. I am particularly interested in developing systems that scaffold peer interaction, mentoring, and reflective processes in educational environments. In addition to my research, I am committed to advancing inclusive practices in computing. My work explores ways to broaden participation in STEM, particularly by designing interventions and learning experiences that better support students from historically underrepresented communities. At UMBC, I contribute to teaching and curriculum development in areas related to computing, ethics, and human-centered design, and actively collaborate with interdisciplinary initiatives focused on student success and mentoring.Research interests
Over the past year, my research has focused on advancing human-centered AI systems for computing education, with an emphasis on improving collaborative learning, mentoring, and evaluative processes. My work has centered on designing and studying AI-assisted mechanisms that structure educational interactions, particularly in peer feedback and advising contexts. One major direction has been the development of algorithmic approaches to peer evaluation, including complementary pairing strategies and rubric-informed feedback systems that promote deeper engagement and more constructive critique. In parallel, I have been working on AI-supported mentoring tools in collaboration with institutional initiatives such as COMPASS, aiming to address challenges in graduate advising, including communication gaps and power asymmetries, by enabling more continuous and transparent interactions. I have also initiated research on AI-mediated evaluative environments, examining how system attributes such as perceived authority and interaction style influence user experience and performance in interview and feedback settings. In addition to system design, I continue to integrate ethical and reflective perspectives into computing education, including the development of case-based materials to support context-driven ethical reasoning. Overall, my research contributes to the design of AI systems that enhance—rather than replace—human-centered educational practices, with ongoing efforts toward publications, external funding, and interdisciplinary collaboration.Teaching interests
The course that I developed based on my research topic is "Social and Crowd Computing". The objective of this course is to introduce students to various challenges and topics related to social platforms and to inspire them to think and implement innovative solutions to existing problems. The course teach student the implication of building ethical and explainable solutions and how these solutions can have direct impact on the broader communities. For undergraduates, I teach two sections of "Data Structures" course. The main objective of this course is to help students learn fundamental data structures and algorithms and how to implement them for solving practical problems. I also taught "Social and Ethical Issues in CS" where I taught the rules, norms, and regulations that we need to follow in this digital age both at work environment and outside.Education
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Ph D, Computer Science
— University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2020) A persuasive approach to designing interactive tools around the promises and perils of social platforms
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MS, Computer Science
— University of South Carolina (2013) AccelPrint: Accelerometers are Different by Birth
- Other, Computer Science — Indian Institute of Engineering, Science, and Technology (2007)