The Team

OptimHum is run by a two-person team who collaborate as social science experts in https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/victorav/the-koster-seafloor-observatory/about/team

Marisa Ponti

(Ph.D. in Information Science, 2010, University of Gothenburg, Sweden) is Assistant Professor at the Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg, and Leader of the OptimHum project. Her research is placed at the intersection of citizen science and information technologies. Between 2014 and 2018, she was involved in “Taking science to the crowd: Researchers, programmers and volunteer contributors transforming science online “, another research project funded by Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg.

More info about Marisa

Anna Jia Gander

(PhD in Applied Information Technology, 2018, University of Gothenburg, Sweden) is Postdoctoral Researcher at the Department of Applied IT, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. She is interested in algorithm and interaction design. She was a university teacher in China and has a background in English, Education, Linguistics and Communication. She is trained in ethnomethodology and conversation analysis. She is interested in vocal-verbal, gestural, and multimodal communication; video technology-mediated communication; interpersonal and group collaborative communication, intercultural communication; contextualized perception, sense-making, and understanding of sharing.

FORMER COLLABORATORS

Alena Seredko

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Alena is a doctoral student at the Department of Education, Communication and Learning. Her PhD is linked to the Swedish Research Council funded project Social Dimensions of Expertise Development in Networked Communities (SOCDEX). She is interested in how expertise is expressed and assessed in a large online platform.

Jacob Friis Sherson

(PhD in Physics, Aarhus University, Denmark) is an established quantum physicist who has, amongst other achievements, set the world record for quantum teleportation. He founded ScienceAtHome to create an online platform that democratizes science by turning research problems into engaging games. Now, with the help of gamers around the world, Jacob aspires to better understand the difference between human and artificial intelligence and how interfaces can be created to make optimal use of both. In addition, he is establishing a global effort to link citizen science with the core school curriculum in order to foster students’ love of learning and curiosity for how the world works while empowering them to contribute to cutting-edge research. He is also founder and director of the Center for Hybrid Intelligence, Aarhus University.

Janet Rafner

Janet is an incoming doctoral researcher in hybrid intelligence. She was formerly a U.S. Fulbright Fellow, with degrees in physics and studio art. Her current research includes theoretical and phenomenological turbulence, Human-Computer Interfaces, Research through Design, and Research-Enabling Game-Based Education. She is also the international coordinator for the ScienceAtHome activities associated with the global educational initiative, Think Like a Scientist.

Miroslav Gajdacz

Miroslav is a postdoctoral researcher working at ScienceAt Home as a data scientist, analyzing data from the citizen science games as well as a physicist, consulting on the science involved in the games. Miroslav got his PhD from AU in 2016 in the field of experimental cold atomic physics. During his PhD, he also contributed to the field of Optimal Control. He was later employed as a product development engineer in OFS Fitel Denmark, a company producing optical fibres.