Anna Cox

Brief biography

Anna Cox is Professor of Human-Computer Interaction in the UCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC), in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences and Vice Dean (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) in the Faculty of Brain Sciences. She was Deputy-Director of UCLIC 2009-2017, chair of the Athena SWAN self-assessment team in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, achieving renewal of a silver award on 2 occasions, and Faculty Athena SWAN lead 2017-2019. She is also a parent.

Professor Cox's first degree is in Cognitive Science (Hertfordshire), and her MSc is in Human-Computer Interaction (Queen Mary, University of London). She was awarded her PhD from the University of Hertfordshire in 2002. She became a lecturer in the Computer Science department at University of Hertfordshire before moving to UCL as a Lecturer in 2004. She was promoted to full professor in 2017.

Professor Cox has published widely, beginning with her PhD work on exploratory learning, to more recent work on human error, digital games, habit formation and personal informatics. Her current research aim is to systematically establish the relationships between the design of digital tools and behavioural outcomes, and leverage these relationships in the design of novel interfaces and systems to support people in managing their work and wellbeing.

Professor Cox is a member of both the CHI and the CHI PLAY steering committees. She was Specialist Advisor to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee at the House of Commons for their 2019 inquiry into immersive and addictive technologies. She has served in senior roles on the programme and organising committees of a number of top-tier HCI conferences, including as technical programme chair for CHI2018 and CHI2019 and general chair of CHI PLAY 2015 and 2016.

More details on her research can be found at eworkresearch.org