Gabriela Marcu

Gabriela Marcu is an Associate Professor in the University of Michigan School of Information. Her research focuses on enhancing social connections, community building, and fostering care through technology. She is particularly invested in how collaborative technologies can meet the needs of marginalized populations, employing community-driven approaches to design technological solutions that support mental health, trauma interventions, and social well-being. Professor Marcu has made significant contributions in areas such as adolescent mental health, harm reduction, and trauma-informed health promotion. Her research is supported by organizations like Google, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health. In addition, she is passionate about using comedic performance to foster human connection and is the founder and host of Ann Arbor’s monthly comedy show, "Extra Credit Improv."

• 2018–Present·University of Michigan School of Information·Associate Professor
  • Leads community-driven research on technological interventions focused on mental health and the needs of marginalized populations.
• 2014–2018·Drexel University College of Computing and Informatics·Assistant Professor
  • Researched and taught the design and evaluation of behavioral interventions and collaborative technologies.

• 2010–2014·Carnegie Mellon University·Ph.D.
  • Major: Human-Computer Interaction
• 2006–2010·University of California, Irvine·B.S.
  • Major: Informatics