I'm Golnaz Moharrer, a PhD candidate in Human-Centered Computing at UMBC, advised by Dr. Andrea Kleinsmith. My research explores how affective computing can support mental well-being by combining physiological signals (e.g., EDA, ECG) with self-report measures like PANAS. Using a mixed-methods approach, I design technologies that foster emotional awareness, self-reflection, and creativity. I also applied these methods during a Mixed-Methods Research Internship at MillerKnoll, contributing to user experience research in a design-driven context.

[My CV is available here.]

Projects

Self expression Through Digital Technology: Gender and the Impact of Creativity and Comfort on Personal Growth

This project explores the vital role of digital technology in facilitating self-expression and personal growth, a key aspect of overall well-being linked to emotional resilience. Drawing insights from a study on how creativity, comfort with digital self-expression, and gender influence personal growth, we aim to inform the development of inclusive and effective digital tools.

Key Aspects:

  • Impact of Digital Self-Expression: Investigating how individuals' perceptions of their creativity and comfort with digital platforms influence their personal growth.

  • Gender-Specific Insights: Highlighting findings that show a stronger relationship between creativity and personal growth for women, especially at higher comfort levels with digital self-expression.

  • Designing Inclusive Digital Tools: Emphasizing the need to develop digital tools that support creative self-expression across all genders, reduce stigma, and provide adaptive methods for self-reflection. This includes features like digital storytelling, art creation, collaborative projects, anonymous sharing, mood tracking, and virtual support communities.

Write! Draw! Move!: Investigating the Effects of Self-Expression Modalities on Positive and Negative Self-Reflection for Emotional Well-Being (ACM ICMI 2025)

Description
Description

This project investigates the impact of various self-expression modalities—writing, visual art, and movement—on emotional well-being through self-reflection. Drawing insights from a study on graduate students, we explore how engaging with both positive and negative experiences through different creative outlets can foster emotional processing, stress reduction, and overall well-being.

Key Focus Areas:

  • Multimodal Self-Expression: Understanding the unique benefits of written, visual, and movement-based reflection in managing emotions and promoting self-awareness.

  • Positive and Negative Reflection: Examining how reflecting on diverse emotional experiences can lead to emotional relief (for negative reflection) and heightened positive emotions (for positive reflection).

  • Designing for Digital Well-being: Contributing to the development of intelligent, affective multimodal digital technologies that encourage self-expression and support emotional health, particularly for populations facing significant stress like graduate students.

Contact Me

Contact

golnazm1@umbc.edu

golnazmoharrer@gmail.com