Rebecca, 28 years, born in Germany

 

I have always been fascinated by the way humans communicate with each other. I know that my family often has to stop me from analyzing too much of what they are trying to say to me. It sometimes turns them crazy (so sorry!). Throughout the past years though, my interest in human-human communication grew into one dedicated to our technological counterparts through and with which we communicate on a daily basis nowadays. I started asking myself questions like: Is talking to a bot different from talking to a human? How can we become more comfortable with talking to machines? Should we actually become more comfortable in the first place?

During my master thesis (read here), in which I investigated whether customizing a chatbot (i.e., its look, persona, and interests) can positively impact users’ trust, I discovered not only my passion for the topic of virtual assistants, but also for doing research in the social sciences. There, my wish to keep walking the academic path and pursuing my doctoral studies was born. And well, one thing led to another, and I am now living in beautiful Amsterdam writing my PhD dissertation at the Amsterdam School of Communication Research, in which I ask way more questions than I will ever find answers to. But hey, that’s research life (right?).

One of those questions is: How can we best support families in dealing with smart-home technology (i.e., smart speakers) more confidently, safely, and responsibly?

When I am not asking questions and trying to find answers, I am keeping myself sane with yoga, walking around the city with my camera around my neck, upcycling old clothing, decluttering our home, or going on a trip with my partner.

“I may not be able to live up to your expectations
because I have set up my own milestones.”

– Debasish Mridha

  • PhD Communication Science @University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    September 2020 until today

    My mantra: I study human-machine communication to improve human-centric AI.

    My responsibilities:

  • Data Scientist @Y.Digital, The Netherlands

    May - July 2020

    I followed the team in their development of AI-solutions for business cases, while getting first practical training in git/GitHub and Python. The time at Y. was a fascinating experience for me, which brought me out of my (academic) comfort zone. Read about it here.

  • M.Sc. Behavioral Science (Research) @Radboud University, The Netherlands

    2018 - 2020, Cum Laude

    My mantra: I study human behavior to improve lives.

    Minor Thesis: Custom-Made Chatbots for the User by the User. The Potential of User-Chatbot-Customization for the Development of Trust.
    Supervised by Dr. Evelien Heijselaar & Prof. Tibor Bosse

    Minor Thesis: What About Adults? Perceptions and Implementations of Social Network Roles in Organizational Settings. A Partial Replication of a Multi-Method Assessment.
    Supervised by Prof. Antonius Cillessen (Toon)

  • Speaker @University of Glasgow, Scotland

    November 2019

    As a member of the sHAI lab group at Radboud University I was invited to talk about my research master project. Together with my colleagues we visited the social robotics research lab in Glasgow to exchange insights and strengthen future collaborations.

  • Pilgrim on the Camino Portugues @Portugal & Spain

    Summer 2019

    The two weeks walking 260 km on the Camino Portugues have probably been one of the most meaningful times of my life so far. I traveled alone. I traveled only with the plan to arrive in Santiago de Compostela at some point. Everything between was open. This challenged me in a lot of ways, but the fruits of this challenge I carry with me until today. Click here to watch some of my favorite moments of this journey.

  • Student Assistant @BSI Radboud University, The Netherlands

    October 2019 - May 2020

    As the assistant at the BSI Office, I was responsible for:

    • Event Management - e.g. Organization of colloquia and network events
    • Financial administration of participant reimbursements
    • Website - CMS

  • B.A. Communication Science @WWU Muenster, Germany

    2015 - 2018

    My mantra: I study human communication to expand boundaries.

    Thesis: Nudging – the Disputed Impulsion for Optimized Behavior. A Contemplation of Choice Architecture in Respect of Positive and Negative Consequences From the Communication Science’s Point of View.
    Supervised by Prof. Volker Gehrau

    (Study program and thesis were followed in German)

  • Head of Marketing/PR @Enactus Muenster, Germany

    October 2015 - July 2018

    As the head of the Marketing/PR Ressort:

    • I was responsible for project management tasks
    • I helped developing Social-Media content for Facebook and Instagram
    • I designed recruitment campaigns and helped organizing promotion events
    • I was responsible for photo-/videography
    • I supported the team in designing and layouting annual reports for the yearly National Cup

  • Volunteer @United Through Sports, South Africa

    August - October 2014

    Together with other international volunteers, I supported township schools in Port Elizabeth as a teacher in sports, Maths, English, and life skills courses and was given the chance to help in the talent-advancement program. My time at UTS was extremely special and I am immensely grateful for this experience.

  • Federal Voluntary Service @University Hospital Bonn, Germany

    November 2014 - April 2015

    As a federal volunteer within the Media and Communication department at the University Hospital Bonn, I was trained in writing press releases, administrating merchandise products, and co-authoring for the internal company magazine.

  • Exchange Student @Avondale College, New Zealand

    July - October 2011

    During High School, I was given the chance to spend one term at the Avondale College in Auckland, New Zealand. Besides getting the chance to experience school in a different culture (including school uniform, special courses, and a new language), I formed a close bond with my hostfamily (which lasts until today), met wonderful people from all around the world, and saw the most impressive nature scenery.