Sayyida Masoom Gilani

Course: Doctor of Philosophy (Computer Science), 2024
Nationality: Kashmiri
Current Role: AI-HCI Researcher | UX Strategist | Educator | Innovating in Healthcare, Technology & Beyond

Were you working previously, and if so, what was your position and company?

I completed my industrial internship as a Project Management Lead Intern, working on an Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) project and a web development project. After earning a Bachelor of Information Technology degree with First Class Honours (CGPA: 3.82) and gaining substantial research experience, I became eligible for direct/fast-track admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program.

Please tell us about your postgraduate research.

"Close your eyes, tell me what you see". That is the life of an individual with a mental health condition. Technology has the power to transform this state of darkness into light. My research project falls within the multidisciplinary field of human-computer interaction (HCI), where I am exploring the role of an AI-driven social support-enabled mobile health (mHealth) framework in alleviating depressive symptomatology and increasing psychological well-being of adolescents with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. I am fortunate to have a supervisory team of researchers with decades of experience in human-centred computing and psychology. This is one of the best aspects of being a graduate research student in Monash; experts from other faculties are ever-willing and available to collaborate with you on projects to create a real-world impact.

Why did you choose to pursue your postgraduate degree at Monash University Malaysia? Did it meet your expectations?

I have lived in Malaysia for 10+ years and wholeheartedly love this place and its people. Commencing my PhD in MUM is a win-win opportunity allowing me to earn an Australian degree from a prestigious, internationally recognized institution while staying in the heart of Southeast Asia. I strongly believe research is about ‘collaboration and contribution’, not about ‘competition’; this philosophy is practiced at Monash by experts with over a decade of research experience in various disciplines. Monash recognises and appreciates hard work plus talent, offering a wide variety of scholarships, which greatly influenced my decision-making.

While at Monash, what type of opportunities did you participate in? (E.g. student exchange, clubs and societies, field trips, conferences, competitions, etc.)

My journey as a doctoral student in Monash has been remarkable and rewarding. In my role as a Graduate Teaching Associate, I have successfully designed and delivered coursework for large, diverse student cohorts (~10,000 students across multiple semesters) for numerous computer science courses. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I employed creative and innovative strategies to transition to a virtual learning environment while maintaining student engagement and high-quality instruction. My commitment to mentorship and curriculum innovation was recognised with the HDR Teaching Excellence Award. I was also invited by the student branch of IEEE Monash University Malaysia to conduct a workshop on Python programming language for over 50 undergraduate students. Monash encourages presenting and publicizing research outputs by providing avenues such as graduate research symposiums, travel grants for attending conferences and awards for publishing in top-ranked journals.

What did you like most about your student life at Monash?

Monash offers a very convenient and conducive work environment for its postgraduate research students. We have an incredibly welcoming graduate research student (GRS) community, which I believe plays a key role in enhancing both my positivity and productivity. The GRS has ‘coffee talks’ where we discuss our research and well-being. The researchers at Monash are not always glued to their workstations; we have weekly badminton practices and numerous clubs and societies to choose from. I joined the Monash Debate Society (MDS) to sharpen my critical thinking and communication skills. This proved to be a rewarding experience, as my team reached the semi-finals of a debating championship, and I was honoured with the Best Reply Speaker award.

What is your biggest career goal? What’s the difference you’d like to make?

I am a passionate advocate of using technology as a force for good, with a particular interest in exploring AI-HCI approaches to solve complex problems, drive innovation, enhance products that empower people, and promote health and well-being. My goal is to work in a collaborative and conducive environment where I can conduct impactful research that creates real-world impact while continuing to nurture my passion for teaching.