Drexel University Nick Howley College information science faculty and students recently participated in the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing (CSCW) 2026, held October 10–14, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
CSCW is a premier venue for research on the design and use of technologies affecting groups, organizations, communities, and networks. The mid-October conference brought together researchers and practitioners from around the world to explore the technical, social, material, and theoretical challenges of designing technologies that support collaborative work and life.
At this year’s conference, Howley information science researchers presented their work on family-centered AI, online safety and security, companion AI governance, and technology for spiritual support. Drexel faculty also orchestrated key parts of the conference, taking leadership positions on organizing and program committees.
Drexel affiliates and alumni are listed in bold below.
Research Papers
Yi Xuan Khoo, Nora McDonald, Andrew Barlow, and Helena M. Mentis
“Mutual Surveillance in Couples with Memory Concerns.”
Couples managing memory loss often face challenges in maintaining online security, using strategies ranging from manual oversight to consumer surveillance technologies. This work examines these practices and considers how technologies might better support collaborative decision-making around online safety and security.
Yi Xuan (Wendy) Khoo, Drexel Howley College PhD student, presents at CSCW
Tim Gorichanaz and Heidi Toivonen
“Young Adults' Experiences with Smartphone Apps for Spiritual Support.”
This research examines young adults’ experiences using smartphone applications for spiritual support, contributing to broader conversations about the roles digital technologies can play in supporting meaningful and personally significant aspects of everyday life.
Posters
Tyler Chang, Jessica Y. Medina, and Afsaneh Razi
“Permissive Intimacy, Opaque Governance: A Qualitative Analysis of Policies Across Prominent Companion AI Applications.”
Companion AI platforms increasingly enable emotionally intimate, romantic, and sexual relationships with conversational agents. This research examines how prominent companion AI platforms publicly frame and govern these interactions, highlighting the relationship between platform policies, intimacy, and AI governance.
Tyler Chang, Drexel Howley College PhD student, presents at CSCW
Workshops
Xiaoyi Tian, Renkai Ma, Qiao Jin, Kaiwen Sun, Afsaneh Razi, Yang Shi, Bengisu Cagiltay, Jerry Alan Fails, and Yubo Kou
“Growing Up (and Old) with AI: Co-Constructing the Future for Family-Centered AI”
As AI technologies become increasingly embedded in everyday family life, they create new opportunities and challenges across generations and family relationships. This workshop brings researchers together to develop a more holistic vision of family-centered AI, examining how AI systems can be designed to account for interconnected family relationships, needs, values, and responsibilities.
Afsaneh Razi (at podium), Drexel Howley College assistant professor, at CSCW
Conference Leadership
Information Science faculty and students also contributed to the organization and leadership of CSCW 2026:
- Afsaneh Razi — Posters Co-Chair
- Aleksandra Sarcevic — Panels & Special Interest Groups Co-Chair
- Pragati Awasthi – Posters Program Committee
- Mallika Mainali (IS PhD student) - Posters Program Committee
- Erica Shusas (IS PhD student alumna) - Posters Program Committee
CSCW organizing committee group photo
Through research contributions and conference leadership, the Drexel Howley College information science department continues its strong engagement with the CSCW community and its broader mission of advancing human-centered approaches to technology.