Sanjana Gautam

Human-Centered AI Researcher

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sanjana.gautam@utexas.edu

As a Bullard Research Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin’s iSchool, I explore the ethical and human-centered design of AI systems, with a particular focus on explainability, trust, and human-AI collaboration. My work integrates human-computer interaction (HCI), AI ethics, and behavioral science to advance AI systems that not only enhance human capabilities but also promote responsible and community-driven innovation.

My research aligns closely with the mission of Good Systems, where I examine the unintended consequences of AI deployment, ensuring that AI systems are designed for societal benefit while mitigating potential risks. In addition, I am also engaged with the Cosmic AI Institute, where I explore how trustworthy, interpretable AI methods can support scientific discovery in astronomy. I am particularly interested in AI’s role in broadening access to scientific knowledge through open-source tools, data sharing, and educational initiatives.

I bring a strong interdisciplinary background that blends machine learning, human-computer interaction, and human behavioural dynamics. I completed my PhD at Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology under the supervision of Dr. Mary Beth Rosson. I was also an active member of the Innovation and Collaboration Lab(https://cil.ist.psu.edu/) led by Dr. Jack M. Carroll and Dr. Rosson. Currently, I am collaborating with Dr. Matthew Lease in my fellowship work.

News

May, 2025 Thrilled to share my recent work with a talk at Cosmic Horizon Conference in Austin! I will be presenting my poster as well at the Cosmic Horizons Conference 2025
Apr, 2025 Attending Grand Challenges for the Convergence of Computational and Citizen Science Research in Washington DC. Looking forward to amazing discussions!
Mar, 2025 Excited for our work to presented at CHI 2025 in Japan!
Feb, 2025 Our work titled ‘Outcomes of faculty training aimed at improving how allegations of research misconduct are handled’ has been published in Accountability in Research.
Nov, 2024 I will be in Costa Rica, talking about my dissertation work on adaptive learning at CSCW 2024 🏝️