Abigail Sellen

Abigail Sellen is a distinguished Canadian computer scientist and cognitive scientist working at Microsoft Cambridge Research Lab. She is a pioneer in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-Centered Computing. She holds a PhD in Cognitive Science from the University of California, San Diego and has built her career across top research labs, including Xerox PARC, Apple, and Hewlett-Packard, before joining Microsoft in 2004. Her research spans a wide range of topics, including paperless offices, video conferencing, mobile technologies, and human-centered AI design, and she co-authored the influential book The Myth of the Paperless Office with Richard Harper. As a Fellow of the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Engineering, she currently leads research at Microsoft with a focus on AI, cognition, and economics, aiming to shape the future of AI in a way that is ethical and beneficial to society.

• 2004–Present·Microsoft Research Cambridge·Vice President, Distinguished Scientist, Lab Director
  • Leads a multidisciplinary research portfolio, focusing on designing new artificial intelligence technologies, ensuring fairness in AI, improving data center efficiency and sustainability, and achieving fundamental breakthroughs in machine learning.
• 1998–2004·Hewlett Packard Labs, Bristol·Research Scientist
  • Conducted wide-ranging research, including device design, web usage, and mobile technologies.
• 1991–1998·Xerox EuroPARC (Cambridge, UK)·Research Scientist
  • Concurrently served as Research Scientist at Cambridge University's MRC Applied Psychology Unit and Fellow at Darwin College.
• Earlier Roles | Xerox PARC, Apple Computer, Bell Northern Research | Research Scientist/Intern
  • Worked in various enterprise IT labs prior to relocating to the UK.

• ~1986–1990·University of California, San Diego·PhD in Cognitive Science
  • Research Topic: Human errors and mechanisms for human error detection, supervised by Don Norman.
• ~1984–1986·University of Toronto·Master’s in Industrial Engineering
  • Major: Industrial Engineering.
• 1990–1991·University of Toronto·Postdoctoral Studies
  • Conducted research in the Media Space project at the Dynamic Graphics Project Lab within the Department of Computer Science.