Melika Vafafar
Melika is a PhD candidate in Human Computer Interaction and a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Northeastern University London, supervised by Dr. Sian Joel-Edgar, Dr. Chee Siang (Jim) Ang, and Dr. Casper Harteveld. Her research explores the use of artificial intelligence and immersive environments to support mental health and well-being, drawing from HCI design, neuropsychological and ethical perspectives.
Her doctoral work investigates how people interact with AI as an emotional support companion, examining the design implications, and the neural and cognitive mechanisms underlying human AI interaction. Melika’s academic background spans clinical psychology and cognitive neuroscience, which she integrates to inform the development of empathetic and ethically grounded AI tools.
Email: vafafar.m@northeastern.edu