(she/her/hers)
Georgia Tech
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Data Visualization (VIS), Crisis Informatics, Health Informatics, and Equity.
Yixuan ("Janice") Zhang is a PhD candidate in Human-Centered Computing at Georgia Tech. Her research interests lie at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Data Visualization (VIS), Crisis Informatics, Health Informatics, and Equity. Her research examines how to design crisis informatics systems that people can trust; and how this trust in turn shapes design. Her work has also focused on addressing issues of equity by examining the societal impact of design on these communities, and inviting them to co-design systems together. She publishes in premier HCI and visualization venues, such as ACM's CHI, CSCW, IEEE VIS, and EuroVIS. The impact of her research extends beyond academia; for example, she has presented her work to broader audiences such as the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2021 and 2022, she was selected as a Foley Scholar finalist at Georgia Tech. See more at https://zjanice.github.io
The Rise & Fall of Online Trust in Times of Crisis
Crises (e.g., natural disasters, pandemics) pose significant threats to human life. During crises, information and communication technologies help people mitigate risks and make decisions as they affect how people become aware of and act on information. However, during crises, the inconclusive, conflicting, and time-sensitive information created by varied sources and disseminated on diverse platforms can engender a sense of confusion and uncertainty, making it difficult for people to determine what and whom they should trust. In this talk, I will share findings from my work investigating 1) how people decide what information and tools to trust and rely on during crises, 2) how these decisions vary across different groups of people (e.g., traditionally-marginalized populations), and 3) how information and technologies can be designed to foster online trust and manage distrust to mitigate risks of future crises. Then I will conclude with directions for a future research agenda that seeks to empower communities in (re)building resilience through personalized trust-building approaches.