Keynote

Learn more about our distinguished Keynote Speaker

Daniela Damian

Daniela Damian is a Professor of Software Engineering and the ECS-CAPI Chair in Inclusive Science, Technology, and Engineering at the University of Victoria. Along the years, together with her students, she led empirical research that studied the human and social aspects of requirements engineering and software development, with a special focus on teamwork, remote communication, and collaboration. She is the founder and Director of the INSPIRE:STEM for Social Impact Program at the University of Victoria, where diverse teams engage in community-driven, experiential-learning science and engineering projects for societal impact. Daniela served as Program Chair for major software engineering conferences and, in particular, was the Co-Chair of the inaugural conference on Software Engineering in Society in 2014, RE 2019 and ICSE 2022; she has served on the editorial boards of Transactions on Software Engineering and is serving on the Advisory Board at the Empirical Software Engineering Journal. Daniela was the recipient of the 2019 Faculty of Engineering Teaching Award and of the 2020 Provost's REACH Award for Excellence in Teaching for Experiential Learning. In 2019, she received the Royal Society New Zealand Catalyst: International Leader Award, and in 2024, she became a Lero Parnas Fellow. Daniela is an ACM Distinguished Speaker and was recently honored with the 2026 SIGSOFT Influential Educator Award. Read more about her projects and research at danieladamian.ca, and listen to her TEDxVictoria talk on her humble take on the power of empathy in tech design for a diverse, kinder world. She can be contacted at danielad@uvic.ca.

Daniela Damian

The Human connection: The essential compass to innovating technologies that matter

Abstact: Software is now deeply embedded in our society, shaping how we live, work, and connect. As a result, understanding users and their interactions with technology is more crucial than ever. User-centered approaches have been recognized as fundamental to software engineering. However, in an increasingly digital world driven by online interactions and AI, how effectively can we engage with users to understand their complex lived experiences and how software we design might affect them? How well are we equipped to grasp users’ values, preferences, and needs, which might be closely tied to or informed by their unique backgrounds, cultures, and life experiences? In this talk, I highlight the essential role that human connection still plays in co-designing solutions that align with users’ needs and values. The human connection becomes the essential compass for inclusive technology; it does not dictate the path, but it keeps innovation oriented toward dignity, equity, and real human impact when technical possibilities multiply.

Drawing on experiences in several software engineering projects focused on societal impact, I reflect on the challenges that expanded my own understanding and abilities as a software engineer. I explore the critical role that complementary skills of relationship-building, authentic empathy, perspective-taking, and cultural sensitivity play, particularly when differing viewpoints emerge. In today’s increasingly complex, technology-driven world, these skills are more important than ever. I advocate for a deeper awareness of how we engage empathetically with those we design for and collaborate with.

Contact Information:

We look forward to seeing you at @ResponsibleSE 2026. For further information, please contact irum@chalmers.se

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