Yaxing Yao

Yaxing Yao is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University, the Director of the Hopkins Privacy and Security Lab, and a member of the Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. His research lies at the intersection of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Privacy and Security, and Artificial Intelligence, aiming to enhance privacy literacy and empower users with greater privacy control. His work spans various technological environments, such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and online privacy, as well as vulnerable populations including people with disabilities, children, and youth. His research has been published in numerous top-tier academic conferences and is supported by organizations including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Meta, and Google. Notably, he received the NSF CAREER Award in 2025.

• 2025–Present·Johns Hopkins University·Assistant Professor
  • Research focuses include Human-Computer Interaction, Privacy and Security, Artificial Intelligence; leads lab research and mentors students.
• 2020–2025·Virginia Tech·Assistant Professor
  • Explored usable privacy, accessibility, and privacy controls in socio-technical environments.
• 2020·Carnegie Mellon University·Postdoctoral Researcher
  • Collaborated with Professor Norman Sadeh at the Institute for Software Research, focusing on research in Privacy and Security.

• 2016–2020·Syracuse University·PhD
  • Major: Information Science
• 2012–2014·University of Washington·MS
  • Major: Information Management
• 2008–2012·Harbin Institute of Technology·BBA
  • Major: Business Administration