I am a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan School of Information, advised by Kentaro Toyama.  Specializing in Human-Computer Interaction and Information and Communicaton Technologies for Development, my research focuses on advancing online privacy and security for women. 

My research explores how marginalized communities interact with digital technologies, focusing on how Western-centric designs can exacerbate social and economic inequalities and how to develop inclusive, equitable tech solutions to address these challenges. Using feminist, cultural, and intersectionality lenses, as well as user-centered and problem-solving approaches, I examine the privacy and healthcare needs of women through mixed-method research, including surveys, interviews, observations, content analysis, and system design. 

Within privacy, trust, and safety, my dissertation work focuses on two primary areas: 1) Understanding the perceived and lived experiences of marginalized communities facing online harms—with a particular focus on image-based abuse, including AI-generated harmful content such as sexual deepfakes—and the role of local norms surrounding gender, religion, and honor in shaping the nature and consequences of these harms; and 2) Critically examining governance mechanisms—both online (e.g., community standards and content moderation practices) and offline (e.g., local reporting processes involving law enforcement agencies and NGOs)—to investigate the complex interplay between global platform policies and local legal frameworks, and how these dynamics influence victims' access to justice. 

In the area of healthcare, my work focuses on two key aspects: 1) Designing culturally tailored digital interventions—such as SMS, voice-based systems, and mobile applications—that address the health-related information needs of women and healthcare workers while enhancing public service delivery in low-resource settings; and 2) Addressing societal and structural barriers that impede women’s access to quality healthcare and information in marginalized communities. My work provides socio-technical recommendations to overcome these challenges while maintaining a balance between respecting local cultural contexts and avoiding the reinforcement of stereotypical views, with the ultimate goal of empowering women and fostering equitable healthcare access. 

At the core of my work is an advocacy for integrating culturally sensitive approaches into the design and implementation of technological solutions for marginalized communities. Recognizing that Western-centric frameworks often exacerbate social and economic inequalities, I emphasize the importance of context-aware and ethically grounded interventions that respect local norms, values, and lived experiences.

So far I have published 13 full papers—7 as lead author—in leading ACM venues such as CHI, CSCW, SOUPS, COMPASS and ICTD and have over 600 citations. My research has been recognized with two Best Paper awards, an Impact Award at SOUPS, and featured in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2024 annual report highlighting the significant, long-term impact of my work in privacy, wellbeing and HCI. To achieve my research goals, I have co-authored successful grants with my advisors, securing over half a million dollars in funding from sources including the District Delivery Challenge Fund (DDCF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the National Academies Keck Futures Initiative (NAKFI), along with additional support from the University of Michigan’s Rackham Graduate School and Global Islamic Studies Center.

My dissertation explores the cultural impacts of non-consensual image-based disclosure abuse in South Asian contexts, employing feminist, cultural, and intersectionality theories. In collaboration with social media companies, law enforcement, and civil society organizations, I am working to develop technologies that empower women to combat abusive dynamics. 

Alongside my doctoral research, I have gained AI expertise by working with Google's Responsible AI team, to enhance the integration practices of their interpretability tools and improved workflow efficiencies. Additionally, I have explored the social integration of refugees in the United States, analyzing how technology affects their economic, socio-cultural, and psychological adaptation and influences shifting gender roles in their new communities.

Prior to my Ph.D., I lectured at Information Technology University  in Pakistan, where I also completed my Master’s in Computer Science. I led initiatives funded by the Gates and Melinda Foundation, Google, and DFID, aimed at addressing women’s privacy on social media, maternal and child health issues, and the development of healthcare technologies. Additionally, I consulted for the provincial government, spearheading the digital transformation of their vaccination system over a three-year period.