Zana Buçinca

Zana Buçinca is a Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science currently conducting research at Harvard University. Her research interests lie at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence, with a focus on designing, building, and evaluating AI systems for decision support in high-stakes scenarios. She is committed to addressing challenges in AI related to fairness and transparency, as well as advancing AI applications for social good. Her academic background includes a Master's in Computer Science and Engineering (graduated from Koc University in Turkey) and a Bachelor's in Computer Engineering (graduated from Izmir Institute of Technology in Turkey). Furthermore, she will join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) in 2026 as an Assistant Professor.

• 2026–Present·MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research·Assistant Professor
  • Investigates how Human-Computer Interaction and AI can foster human skills and enhance decision-making accuracy and efficiency.
• 2023–Present·Microsoft·Researcher
  • Engages in AI and Human-Computer Interaction projects, advancing ethical design and fairness principles.

• 2019–Present·Harvard University·Ph.D. Candidate
  • Research focus: intersection of Human-Computer Interaction and Artificial Intelligence.
• 2017–2019·Koc University·Master's in Computer Science and Engineering
  • Specialized in the development of machine learning and affective language generation algorithms.
• 2013–2017·Izmir Institute of Technology·Bachelor's in Computer Engineering
  • Undergraduate research focused on computer vision and Human-Computer Interaction.