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Naja A. Mack, Ph.D.
Research output

Publications

Work in human-computer interaction, AI, and computing education. All six papers since 2023 include HAX Lab student researchers as co-authors.

Google Scholar profile
27publications, 2013 – 2025
6with HAX Lab student co-authors since 2023
9as first author
1Distinguished Paper Award (RESPECT 2019)
Published at ACM CHI ACM SIGCSE ACM IDC IEEE VR HCI International AHFE BICE RESPECT ASEE
CHI 2025Late-Breaking Work · Yokohama, Japan

Revolutionizing culturally relevant math education through AI and co-designing strategies

Co-designing AI for culturally relevant math learning. Co-authored with five HAX Lab students.

Human-Centered & Conversational AIRead paper
SIGCSE 2024Portland, Oregon

Breaking stereotypes and feeding the STEM pipeline

A full paper on K–12 coding outreach, co-authored with five undergraduate researchers.

Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationRead paper
AHFE 2025Human-Computer Interaction & Emerging Technologies

Inclusive gaming through brain-computer interfaces: The Mind Mastery experience

Using brain-computer interfaces to make games playable by more people. Led by student first author Osita Odunze.

Immersive & Emerging InterfacesRead paper

All publications

Mack, N. A. = Dr. MackUnderlined = HAX Lab student
Showing all 27

2025

3 papers
  1. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    PyPro: Think in Code. Grow in Logic!
    Ballou, E., Odunze, O., Adeleke, M., & Mack, N. A.
    AHFE International Conference: Human-Computer Interaction & Emerging Technologies, 195, 324DOI
  2. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Revolutionizing culturally relevant math education through AI and co-designing strategies
    Mack, N. A., Tandjong, C. W., Adeleke, M. B., Ballou, E., Harry, A., & Panton, J.
    Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (Late-Breaking Work), 1–6DOI
  3. Immersive & Emerging InterfacesConference
    Inclusive gaming through brain-computer interfaces: The Mind Mastery experience
    Odunze, O., Ballou, E., Kanu, A., Kelly, A., Void, E., & Mack, N. A.
    AHFE International Conference: Human-Computer Interaction & Emerging Technologies, 195, 363DOI

2024

2 papers
  1. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Breaking stereotypes and feeding the STEM pipeline
    Mack, N. A., Adeleke, M. B., Ballou, E., Davis, D., Ingram, V., & Cox, K.
    Proceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 1, 771–777DOI
  2. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    CodeBears: Key insights gained from a summer coding camp empowering underrepresented youth
    Mack, N. A., Adeleke, M. B., Ingram, V., Ballou, E., Briggs-Belt, J. K., & Jordan, A.
    2024 Black Issues in Computing Education (BICE), 80–86. IEEEIEEE Xplore

2023

1 paper
  1. Immersive & Emerging InterfacesConference
    Dreadphobia: Evaluating the usability of a virtual reality application in support of mental health
    Meekins, S., Ballou, E., & Mack, N. A.
    International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 397–402. SpringerDOI

2020

4 papers
  1. Human-Centered & Conversational AIJournal
    Chatbots: A tool to supplement the future faculty mentoring of doctoral engineering students
    Mendez, S. L., Johanson, K., Conley, V. M., Gosha, K., Mack, N. A., Haynes, C., & Gerhardt, R.
    International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 15, 373–392DOI
  2. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationJournal
    An exploration of Black students interacting with computing college and career readiness vlog commentary social media influencers
    Cummings, R. T., Huff, E. H., Mack, N. A., Womack, K., Reid, A., Ghoram, B., Gosha, K., & Gilbert, J. E.
    Computing in Science & Engineering, 22(5), 29–40
  3. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Assessing the efficacy of integrating computer science, math, and science in a middle school Sphero robotics summer program
    Simley, T., Mack, N. A., Pittman, T., Cook, C., Cummings, R., Moon, D., & Gosha, K.
    2020 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)
  4. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Evaluating a cybersecurity training program for non-computing major undergraduate ROTC students
    Mack, N. A., Mackroy, K., Cook, C., Cummings, R. T., Pittman, T., & Gosha, K.
    2020 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT), 1–2

2019

9 papers
  1. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Evaluating the usability of pervasive conversational user interfaces for virtual mentoring
    Huff, E. W., Mack, N. A., Cummings, R., Womack, K., Gosha, K., & Gilbert, J. E.
    International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 80–98
  2. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Atlanta Code Warriors: A CS engagement pilot initiative
    Huff, E. W., Nias, J., Cummings, R., Mack, N. A., & Gosha, K.
    International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 184–191
  3. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Exploring the needs and preferences of underrepresented minority students for an intelligent virtual mentoring system
    Mack, N. A., Cummings, R., Huff, E. W., Gosha, K., & Gilbert, J. E.
    International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 213–221
  4. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Co-designing an intelligent conversational history tutor with children
    Mack, N. A., Rembert, D. G. M., Cummings, R., & Gilbert, J. E.
    Proceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, 482–487DOI
  5. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    The use of chatbots in future faculty mentoring: A case of the engineering professoriate
    Mendez, S. L., Conley, V. M., Johanson, K., Gosha, K., Mack, N. A., Haynes, C. L., & Gerhardt, R. A.
    2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
  6. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Exploring the needs and interests of fifth graders for personalized math word problem generation
    Rembert, D. M., Mack, N. A., & Gilbert, J. E.
    Proceedings of the 18th ACM International Conference on Interaction Design and Children, 592–597DOI
  7. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConferenceDistinguished Paper Award
    Vlog commentary YouTube influencers as effective advisors in college and career readiness for minorities in computing: An exploratory study
    Cummings, R., Huff Jr, E. W., Mack, N. A., Womack, K., Reid, A., Ghoram, B., Gilbert, J., & Gosha, K.
    IEEE
  8. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    Developing a question corpus for a conversational agent designed to prepare interested Black undergraduates for the professoriate in STEM
    Cummings, R., Mack, N. A., Gosha, K., Dennis, S., & Nias, J.
    2019 Research on Equity and Sustained Participation in Engineering, Computing, and Technology (RESPECT)
  9. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    From midshipmen to cyber pros: Training minority Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps students for cybersecurity
    Mack, N. A., Womack, K., Huff Jr., E. W., Cummings, R., Dowling, N., & Gosha, K.
    Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, 726–730DOI

2017

2 papers
  1. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Engagement in practice: The development of and lessons learned from a community-focused app development course
    Jones, J. N., Smith, T. R., Mack, N. A., Sherman, I., & Gilbert, J. E.
    2017 ASEE Annual Conference & ExpositionPaper
  2. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Updated AADMLSS: Design and evaluation of a culturally relevant algebra application
    Mack, N. A., Smith, T. R., Jones, J. N., & Gilbert, J. E.
    2017 ASEE Southeast Section ConferencePDF

2016

1 paper
  1. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    CodeIT Day: Breaking stereotypes and feeding the STEM pipeline
    Jones, J. N., Mack, N. A., Smith, T. R., & Gilbert, J. E.
    2016 ASEE Southeast Section ConferencePDF

2015

1 paper
  1. Conference
    Televoting: Secure, overseas voting
    Crawford, C. S., Mack, N., Eugene, W., & Gilbert, J. E.
    Human Aspects of Information Security, Privacy, and Trust, 487–494. Springer

2014

3 papers
  1. Human-Centered & Conversational AIBook chapter
    Human-computer interfaces for speech applications
    Darnell, S. S., Mack, N. A., Jackson, F., Alnizami, H., James, M., Ekandem, J. I., Alvarez, I., Andujar, M., Moon, D., & Gilbert, J. E.
    Computing Handbook, Third Edition: Computer Science and Software Engineering, 92: 1–15
  2. Computing Education & Broadening ParticipationConference
    Designing with students: A participatory approach to creating Know Your History, an interactive history textbook
    Mack, N. A., Hall, P., Gardner-McCune, C., Hodges, L., & Gilbert, J.
    E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education, 1232–1242
  3. Human-Centered & Conversational AIConference
    The use of paraphrase identification in the retrieval of appropriate responses for script-based conversational agents
    McClendon, J. L., Mack, N. A., & Hodges, L. F.
    The Twenty-Seventh International FLAIRS Conference

2013

1 paper
  1. Immersive & Emerging InterfacesConference
    Serious games for training, rehabilitation and workforce development
    Bertrand, J., Dukes, L. C., Dukes, P., Ebrahimi, E., Hayes, A., Mack, N., McClendon, J., Parmar, D., Pence, T. B., Shannon, B., Wachter, A., Wu, Y., Babu, S., & Hodges, L. F.
    2013 IEEE Virtual Reality (VR), 195–196DOI