Karina LaRubbio
Biography
Hometown: New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Advisor: Dr. Diana Freed
Research Interests: Human-computer interaction, sociotechnical systems, extended reality (XR)
What excites me about my work is that as emerging technologies like AI and VR become more popular, I think it's important to consider who these innovations might leave out. People have varying privacy, safety, and wellbeing needs, and failing to address them may exclude these users or even cause harm. The opportunity to design, develop, and evaluate sociotechnical systems with diverse user groups in mind excites me about this possibility of creating more thoughtful, inclusive futures.
I decided to do a PhD because I got really excited about research during my time as an undergraduate when I was working on projects about eye tracking and virtual reality. Developing different applications and experiments was exciting on its own, but I knew I had so much more to learn about the interplay between people and these technologies. I like having the time and space to consider technological systems within their broader social contexts.
My favorite thing about Brown is that it feels very interdisciplinary, which is especially exciting while working at the intersection of technical and social topics. That vibrant environment makes it very accessible to learn outside of my immediate field, whether that's through seminars, reading groups, or courses.
Outside of school, I like going to concerts, baking, and hiding from the cold at hot yoga.
Karina LaRubbio is an incoming Computer Science PhD student with research interests in immersive environments and privacy. She recently graduated from the University of Florida with an undergraduate degree in computer science. Through undergraduate research experiences in both computer science and psychology, she became fascinated by the implications of emerging technologies on behavior, specifically virtual reality. Her previous work evaluated strategies for protecting users against harassment in virtual environments. Under the supervision of Dr. Diana Freed, she is thrilled to continue working towards more inclusive, useful experiences with technology.