Information Sciences PhD students Mubarak Raji, Eryclis Rodrigues Silva, and Eryue Xu, and Informatics PhD student Muhammad Hussain have received A. Serwin Conference Scholarships from the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). The award, which recognizes outstanding students in the areas of privacy, AI governance, and digital responsibility, consists of $1,000 and complimentary conference registration. The IAPP’s annual conference, Privacy. Security. Risk., will be held October 30-31 in San Diego, California.
Raji's research interests explore the dynamic intersection of data privacy, AI governance, and ethics within the Global Majority, especially highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities in Africa. He holds an LLM from the University of Illinois College of Law, a BL from the Nigerian Law School in Lagos, and an LLB (JD equivalent) from Bayero University in Kano, Nigeria.
Silva's research focuses on natural language processing and machine learning systems for specialized domains, with particular emphasis on large language models. He earned his LLB from the Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil.
Xu's research explores how people delegate agency and negotiate privacy boundaries with intelligence systems. Her work, which includes publications at CHI and USENIX Security, bridges cognitive science, UX research, and computational methods to design AI systems that respect human intent and trust. Xu earned her bachelor’s in cognitive science from the University of California, San Diego, and a master’s in human-computer interaction from Georgie Institute of Technology.
Hussain is a Fulbright Scholar whose research focuses on how modern design and technology interact with local cultures in the global south. He aims to re-evaluate and reimagine modern technology design methods, guidelines, and human-computer interaction (HCI) standards from a cultural and decolonization lens. He holds a bachelor’s in product design from the National College of Arts in Pakistan and a master’s in interaction design from the University of Sydney.