Carolina Fuentes

I am a Senior Lecturer at the School of Computer Science and Informatics at Cardiff University, specialising in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Human-AI collaboration, and Socially Assistive Robotics. I hold a PhD and a Master’s in Computer Science from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Santiago of Chile.

My multidisciplinary research explores human-centred design for emerging technologies, focusing on trust, explainability, and ethical responsibility in AI-driven systems. I have contributed to projects on digital health interventions, AI-assisted decision-making and human-robot interaction, in critical domains such as healthcare and defence.

I am currently involved in collaborative initiatives like the Interdisciplinary Precision Oncology Hub (IPOCH) and projects funded by The Alan Turing Institute, The Royal Society, and EPSRC.

My work has been published in leading venues, including ACM CHI, CSCW, CUI, IEEE RO-MAN, and the International Journal of Social Robotics, Frontiers in Robotic and AI, addressing topics such as trust in socially assistive robots, language and cultural factors in robotics acceptance, and designing ethical AI for healthcare in the Global South. I actively collaborate with international research groups and industry partners to advance responsible AI and inclusive technology design.

Research Interests

• Human-centred design for emerging technologies
• Explainable AI and trust in human-AI systems
• Socially assistive robots for healthcare and aging populations
• Ethical responsibility and inclusivity in AI design
• Digital health in the Global South

Beyond research, I am passionate about education and outreach. At Cardiff University, I lead the Emerging Technologies module and contribute to the software engineering module. I have delivered keynote talks at international conferences and summer schools, including the ACM Summer School in HCI. Committed to diversity and inclusion, I have organised initiatives such as Ada Lovelace Day celebrations, Code First Girls, and programming workshops for underrepresented groups. I served on program committees for major conferences (ACM CHI, CSCW, HRI) and hold leadership roles, including Poster & Demos Co-Chair and Doctoral Colloquium Co-Chair. I am a Fellow of Advance HE and an active member of ACM SIGCHI.