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Alemitu Bezabih is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Computer Science Department at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research expertise mainly resides at the crossroads of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Healthcare. She dedicates her efforts to investigating and crafting interactive experiences, encompassing games, social media platforms, VR systems, conversational AI (chatbots), and social robots, all geared toward enhancing human well-being. Her pursuits transcend mere technological progress; they center on enriching lives and fostering well-being through meticulously devised interactive solutions.

Her approach is deeply grounded in human-centered design, ensuring that the technologies she creates are intuitive, effective, and considerate of the unique sensitivities present in healthcare environments. With a strong commitment to participatory design, her research empowers end-users, encompassing healthcare professionals and patients alike, to play an active role in shaping technological solutions. This collaborative approach guarantees the development of innovative designs that seamlessly align with real-world healthcare requirements.

Alemitu completed her Ph.D. in Computer Science, with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), at e-Media Research Lab at KU Leuven, Belgium. During her doctoral journey, she had the privilege of being co-supervised by two distinguished HCI professors, namely Prof. Vero Vanden Abeele and Prof. Kathrin Gerling. Her academic background also includes a master’s degree in Information and Communication Technology Engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea. In the interim between her academic pursuits, Alemitu contributed as a lecturer at a public university. In this role, she imparted knowledge through various computing courses and provided mentorship to numerous students, contributing to their educational growth and development.

Her doctoral research delved into the utilization of interactive technology to support HIV management among adolescents within a low-income setting with a high HIV burden. Her study uncovered the intricate HIV lived experiences encountered by adolescents, notably encompassing challenges like HIV stigma. It also highlighted the extensive potential of interactive technologies to address these challenges through strategic engagement with key stakeholders, including parents and families. With meticulous analysis of the drivers and mechanisms behind the creation of stigma in society, her Ph.D. work formulated a stigma-informed design approach. This approach prioritizes the development of innovative designs that challenge and reshape public stereotypes and biases. Furthermore, it aims to foster resilience and coping abilities within stigmatized individuals and groups, ultimately facilitating positive change in their lived experiences.

As a postdoctoral researcher at the Colorado School of Mines, Dr. Bezabih investigates the support of social and spiritual care within online health communities (e.g., Reddit). Concurrently, she leads research on a mindfulness-based VR meditation technology for adolescents with mental health issues. Her overarching goal is to create interactive designs promoting mindfulness, challenging destructive thoughts and negative self-perceptions. Additionally, she explores the potential of social robots and conversational AI to facilitate sensitive disclosures in mental health and HIV contexts, aiming to enhance well-being and support systems through innovative technology integration.