Dr Marta Cecchinato

Assistant Professor

Department: Computer and Information Sciences

Dr Marta E. Cecchinato is an Assistant Professor in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at ��ϲ��, where she researches how technology shapes work, wellbeing, and inclusivity in the digital age. Her work focuses on equity, digital resilience, and the future of work, investigating how digital tools can both challenge and support diverse working experiences.

Her research has been published in top-tier HCI venues, with several papers receiving awards (Best Paper Awards at , ; Honourable Mentions at , ). Her work has also been featured in New Scientist, The Conversation, BBC Science Focus, DW TV (live interview), and has contributed to UK Parliamentary Inquiries on digital policy and work, including the effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

She is an excellent public speaker with media training, having delivered public engagement talks such as Soapbox Science, stand up comedy events (Bright Club), as well as several presentations at academic and industry conferences.

She is also an active member of the international HCI community and committed to service and leadership in the field. She has recently served as General Chair for hosted at Northumbria, and is currently a member of the and . Within the Department, she is the Athena Swan lead, advocating for gender equity and inclusion in academia.

Before joining Northumbria, Marta worked at Microsoft Research Cambridge, the UCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC), Helsinki University, and the Helsinki Institute for Information Technology (HIIT). She hold a BSc and MSc in Psychology from the University of Padua (Italy) and a PhD in HCI from UCLIC.

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Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Dr Marta E. Cecchinato's work focuses on equity, digital resilience, and the future of work, investigating how digital tools can both challenge and support diverse working experiences.

Rooted in a person-centred philosophy and interdisciplinarity, Marta takes a pragmatic, exploratory approach, often conducting deep dives into systemic issues around contemporary work environments, social justice, and digital inclusion. Her research primarily employs qualitative, (auto)ethnographic, and design methods, but she have also used logging tools, rapid prototyping, and statistical analysis to evaluate interventions and uncover broader insights.

Marta's research spans a range of topics, including:

Work-life balance, digital wellbeing, and mental wellbeing across different user groups, including students, knowledge workers, junior doctors, gig economy workers, and new parents.
New ways of working, exploring how hybrid practices, AI and platform work are changing the work landscape.
Digital tracking and data use in work environments, exploring its impact on employee wellbeing and fairness.
Neurodiversity and inclusion in the workplace, designing interventions that support diverse needs.
Misinformation and communication practices, particularly within families and social networks.
Gender disparities in work and care responsibilities, including experiences of rejection in digital spaces (e.g., dating apps).

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Key Publications

‘Now you’re home’: awareness cues, rejection, and postdigital safety on Mobile Dating Apps, Campaioli, G., Zamperini, A., Cecchinato, M. 14 Feb 2025, In: New Media and Society
ADHD and Knowledge Work: Exploring Strategies, Challenges and Opportunities for AI, Campbell, J., Çerçi, S., Cecchinato, M. 9 Jul 2024, Design for Equality and Justice, Cham, Switzerland, Springer
Evaluating the Effects of Culture and Relationship Strength on Misinformation Challenging Behaviours Within the UK, Scott, L., Cecchinato, M., Coventry, L., Warner, M. 25 Aug 2023, Human-Computer Interaction – INTERACT 2023, Cham, Switzerland, Springer
“I figured her feeling a little bit bad was worth it to not spread that kind of hate”: Exploring how UK families discuss and challenge misinformation, Scott, L., Coventry, L., Cecchinato, M., Warner, M. 19 Apr 2023, CHI '23: Proceedings of the 2023 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, New York, ACM
Remote Work, Work Measurement and the State of Work Research in Human-Centred Computing, Gould, S., Rudnicka, A., Cook, D., Cecchinato, M., Newbold, J., Cox, A. 1 Sep 2023, In: Interacting with Computers
Understanding digital wellbeing within complex technological contexts, Roffarello, A., De Russis, L., Lottridge, D., Cecchinato, M. 1 Jul 2023, In: International Journal of Human Computer Studies
Understanding Platform-Mediated Work-Life: A Diary Study with Gig Economy Freelancers, Alvarez De La Vega, J., Cecchinato, M., Rooksby, J., Newbold, J. 16 Apr 2023, In: Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction
Close but Not Too Close: Distance and Relevance in Designing Games for Reflection, Iacovides, I., Cutting, J., Beeston, J., Cecchinato, M., Mekler, E., Cairns, P. 31 Oct 2022, In: The Proceedings of the ACM on Human Computer Interaction (HCI)
Design Opportunities for Freelancing Platforms: Online Freelancers’ Views on a Worker-Centred Design Fiction, Alvarez De La Vega, J., Cecchinato, M., Rooksby, J. 8 Jun 2022, CHIWORK 2022 , New York, US, ACM
The end of the active work break? Remote work, sedentariness and the role of technology in creating active break-taking norms, Rudnicka, A., Cook, D., Cecchinato, M., Gould, S., Newbold, J., Cox, A. Jun 2022, CHIWORK 2022 , New York, US, ACM

PGR Supervision

Lauren Scott Misinformation, communication, and challenges: how technology can be used to support misinformation correction within UK family networks Start Date: 25/08/2022 End Date: 28/02/2025