Michael Ann DeVito
(she/her)
Assistant Professor
Education
- PhD in Media, Technology, and Society, Northwestern University
- MA in Media and Public Affairs, George Washington University
- BA in Journalism and Mass Communication, George Washington University
Biography
Michael Ann DeVito is an assistant professor in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences and the College of Arts, Media and Design at Northeastern University, based in Boston.
DeVito is dedicated to addressing inequalities and unfairness toward marginalized populations that are caused or exacerbated by AI- and machine-learning-driven sociotechnical systems. Inspired by her own experiences, she positions herself as a member-researcher and aims to use folk theorization and her expertise in user understanding to return agency to marginalized users. DeVito believes that equitable design and AI can only be achieved by holistically accounting for these communities, including sapphics, transfeminine people, and neurodivergent folks.
Before joining Khoury College, DeVito wore many hats, from Northwestern University instructor to University of Colorado Boulder postdoctoral fellow to managing editor and producer for Planet Forward, George Washington University’s environment-focused science communication institute. She has published regularly at CSCW and CHI, and her work has been recognized by the former with diversity-related and “best paper” honors.
DeVito joined Khoury College in 2023 with the goal of continuing her work with marginalized communities, as well as training, funding, and supporting junior researchers from those communities. In the classroom, she teaches ethical AI and machine learning, user understanding, and qualitative and community-focused research methods, firmly believing that a good computer scientist requires both technical skill and deep context on users and communities to avoid creating harmful tech.
Outside of academia, DeVito is an avid video game player and modifier, a casual bass guitarist, and a mom to cats Julian and Jadzia.
