From models to meaning—HCCS begins at BRAC University, putting humans back at the center of computing

The Human-Centered Computing & Society (HCCS) Research Group has officially begun its journey at BRAC University, with its first meeting held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The initiative is being guided by Farida Chowdhury and S M Taiabul Haque, whose mentorship and encouragement have been instrumental in establishing this research space.

HCCS will be formally inaugurated on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at the BRAC University Auditorium, from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM. The inauguration will feature expert talks and open research dialogue with leading HCI scholars, including Syed Ishtiaque Ahmed (Associate Professor, University of Toronto), Hasan Shahid Ferdous (Former Researcher, University of Melbourne), and Sharifa Sultana (Assistant Professor, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign). Nova Ahmed (Professor, North South University) will be missed at this event and is expected to join future HCCS activities.

HCCS focuses on Human–Computer Interaction (HCI), Human-Centered AI, Explainable AI (XAI), data science, social computing, accessibility, health and wellbeing, usable security, AR/VR, smart cities, misinformation, ethics, and technology for social good. The group supports qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, experimental, and system-oriented research, aiming to re-center technology research around human and societal realities.

Starting at BRAC University but not limited to it, HCCS seeks to connect research-driven students and scholars across Bangladesh and beyond. An Expression of Interest (EOI) for student membership will be shared soon.

🔗 Event Registration: https://lnkd.in/gUW8FZck
🔗 BRAC University: https://www.bracu.ac.bd