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Kate Starbird is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington, where she also serves as the Director of the Emerging Capacities Mass Participation (emCOMP) Laboratory. Her research lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI) and crisis informatics, focusing on how information and communication technologies (ICTs) are utilized during crisis events. Starbird's work investigates how individuals search for, share, and interpret information in the context of natural disasters like earthquakes and hurricanes, as well as man-made disasters including acts of terrorism and mass shootings. She has explored various dimensions of online activity, including online organizing, collective sensemaking, and the opportunistic exploitation of events that contribute to the intentional spread of disinformation. Her inquiries address broader societal concerns regarding technology's role in fostering collaboration and solving problems while examining issues of trust and potential manipulation within online social platforms.
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