Exploring the social impact of intelligent systems

Since March 2026, Aria Kalforian has joined the Human-AI Interaction group led by Prof. Sven Mayer at RC Trust as a PhD student. With her interdisciplinary background in computer science, philosophy, and human-computer interaction, she contributes to the group’s research on how intelligent technologies shape human behavior and society.

Aria completed her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, with a minor in Philosophy, at the Lebanese American University. She later pursued a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Trento in Italy. Before joining TU Dortmund University, she worked as a graduate researcher at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), where she studied how design choices in conversational AI – such as system persona and framing – influence users’ confidence, engagement, and emotional well-being.

In her doctoral research at RC Trust, Aria focuses on the human and societal implications of AI-driven technologies. She investigates how algorithmic social media systems and large language model-based assistants affect human behavior, emotions, identity, and social dynamics. A central question in her work is when such systems provide meaningful support – and when they risk creating challenges such as miscalibrated trust, over-reliance, or dependency.

By applying human-centered research methods, Aria aims to develop and evaluate design interventions that help reduce potential harms while preserving human agency and well-being. Her work contributes to the broader mission of the Human-AI Interaction group: designing intelligent systems that are not only innovative, but also socially responsible and trustworthy.

Outside her research, Aria enjoys cooking, listening to music, watching movies, and exploring new places – interests that reflect her curiosity about people, culture, and everyday experiences.