Dr. Maria Jose (Marisé) Galvez Trigo

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) | Computer Science

Cardiff University | Human-Centred Computing Research Section

Multidisciplinary researcher specializing in Human-Robot Interaction, applications of Machine Learning, and accessibility research. Leading innovative projects in Rehabilitation and Assistive Robotics, Educational Robotics, and participatory design.

Dr. Maria Jose (Marisé) Galvez Trigo

About

I am a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the School of Computer Science and Informatics at Cardiff University, where I am a member of the Human-Centred Computing Research Section and its Subgroup in Computational and Human-centred Robotics.

As Deputy Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) at the School, I am committed to fostering an inclusive academic environment. I am also part of the National Software Academy and serve as Module Lead for Agile Software Development in our M.Sc. in Software Engineering.

My multidisciplinary profile encompasses Computer Science, Engineering (B.Eng., M.Sc.), Human Factors, and Rehabilitation and Health Care research (Ph.D.). I am particularly interested in applications of robotics and machine learning that improve accessibility and quality of life for diverse user groups.

I am part of the management team of EMPOWER, a support network for current and aspiring Principal Investigators that identify as women at Cardiff University, and serve as Co-Investigator and Executive Board member of the UK Robotics and Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network.

Current Position

Lecturer (Assistant Professor)
Cardiff University

Research Focus

Human-Robot Interaction
Accessibility & Robotics

Leadership Roles

Deputy Director EDI
UK-RAS Network Board

Research Interests

Human-Robot Interaction

Developing intuitive and accessible interfaces for human-robot collaboration, with particular focus on educational and rehabilitation contexts.

Machine Learning Applications

Applying ML to improve robot behavior and adapt to individual user needs in assistive and educational robotics.

Accessibility Research

Co-design and participatory research approaches to create inclusive technologies for people with diverse abilities and needs.

Educational Robotics

Developing robotic systems and interfaces to support learning, particularly for students with intellectual disabilities and special educational needs.

Rehabilitation Robotics

Creating assistive robotic technologies and applications to support rehabilitation and independent living for people with various health conditions.

Human-Computer Interaction

Designing user-centered interfaces and interaction modalities that bridge the gap between complex technologies and human needs.

Professional Experience

Apr 2023 - Present

Lecturer (Assistant Professor)

Cardiff University, School of Computer Science and Informatics

  • Deputy Director for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
  • Leading research projects in HRI and HCI
  • Supervision of Undergraduate and Postgraduate students
  • Module Lead for Agile Software Development (M.Sc.)
  • Co-Investigator and Executive Board member of UK-RAS Network
  • Management team member of EMPOWER network
Feb 2022 - Apr 2023

Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Computer Science

University of Lincoln, School of Computer Science

  • Academic member of IntLab, L-CAS and ARIC
  • Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion committee
  • Elected member and co-chair of UK-RAS Early Career Forum
  • Representative of L-CAS in EURobotics as full-member
Feb 2021 - Feb 2022

Researcher at Trustworthy Autonomous Systems (TAS) Hub

University of Nottingham, School of Computer Science

  • Multidisciplinary researcher leading HCI-related Work Packages
  • Supervision of Undergraduate and Masters students
  • Contributing to project deliverables and research proposals
Apr 2019 - Feb 2021

Researcher at Mixed Reality Lab

University of Nottingham, School of Computer Science

  • Research and lead software development on HRI projects
  • Organising team for Ada Lovelace Day and Halfway To The Future Symposium
  • Student supervision and lab website maintenance
Aug 2016 - Apr 2019

Research Assistant

University of Nottingham, Division of Rehabilitation Ageing and Wellbeing

  • Researcher and research software developer
  • Organising team for ICDVRAT and ITAG conferences
  • Teaching and supervision in the Faculty of Engineering

Education

2024

Ph.D. in Rehabilitation and Health Care Research, and Human Factors

University of Nottingham, UK

Thesis: "Co-designing a user-centred multimodal interactive system to control educational robots in special education settings"

2014

B.Eng. + M.Sc. Computer Science & Engineering

University of Castilla-la Mancha, Spain

Thesis: "Remote operation of robots via mobile devices to help people with intellectual disabilities"

Honors: 1st Class (High 1st) with distinction, Finalist for Cátedra Indra prize

Achievements & Recognition

Recent Awards

  • 2025: AI & Robotics Research Awards - Community Award Finalist (UKRI TAS Hub)
  • 2023: Honorable mention - Poster (TAS'23 Symposium)
  • 2022: Best Paper Award (ACM CUI 2022)
  • 2021: Students' Choice Award & 1st prize (Sue Watson Presentation Event)
  • 2021: 3MT Competition Winner (Human Factors Research Group)

Funding Secured (Recent)

  • £671,487: UK-RAS+ Network (Co-I, 2024-2027)
  • £186,014: TARICS Project (PI, 2022-2023)
  • £91,101: NIHR i4i Programme (Co-I, 2025-2026)
  • £43,484: TAS ART Project (Co-PI, 2022-2023)

Professional Recognition

  • Invited speaker at Royal Society Frontiers of Science: AI meeting (2024)
  • Expert interview by Engineering Educates (2024)
  • RoboTalk podcast guest expert (2024)
  • UK Festival of Robotics panellist (2023)
  • Financial Times interview on robotics in education (2020)

Leadership & Service

  • Co-Investigator & Executive Board, UK-RAS Network
  • Management team, EMPOWER network (Cardiff University)
  • UKRI Talent Peer Review College member
  • Reviewer for major conferences (ICRA, HRI, CHI, CUI, RO-MAN)
  • Journal reviewer (Journal of Responsible Technology, IJHCI)

Contact

Get In Touch

I'm always interested in discussing research collaborations, student opportunities, and innovative projects in robotics and accessibility research.

Email: marise@marisegalveztrigo.com
Institution: Cardiff University
School of Computer Science and Informatics