DrDiego Garaialde

Dr. Diego Garaialde is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computer Science at University College Dublin (UCD). With a unique background bridging psychology and computer science, Dr. Garaialde specialises in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). His research integrates principles of cognitive science to explore the intersection of technology and human behaviour, focusing specifically on how digital interfaces impact user motivation, decision-making, and habit formation.

Before taking up his current position, he was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie postdoctoral postdoctoral fellow, working with collaborators in University College London and Maynooth University. He has a strong track record of interdisciplinary and industry collaboration, having partnered with researchers at the ADAPT Centre, Insight, Trinity College Dublin, and Microsoft Research. His current work focuses on pressing contemporary issues in technology design, including combating misinformation, mitigating deceptive design practices, and investigating how psychological theories are used in HCI.

Dr. Garaialde holds a PhD from UCD, where his doctoral thesis investigated digital interface design for behaviour change, specifically focusing on how early rewards influence user choice. He also possesses an MSc in Cognitive Science from UCD and a BSc in Psychology from Dublin City University (DCU).

Alongside his research, he is a dedicated educator, coordinating and delivering core modules such as Intro to Computer Architecture and Principles of Computer Organization.