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.
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 Management 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
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
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
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
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
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
IT Consultant and Software Integrator
EDICOM S.L.
- Participation in international projects to introduce B2B Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
- Lead developer and software integrator in projects for the public and private sector
- Daily communication with clients from the UK, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the USA
- Following the internal processes to become Project Manager
Serious Games Producer
Freelance
- Lead designer and developer of Serious Games
- Gathering of requirements
- Maintaining regular contact with stakeholders
- Followed an Agile approach
Web designer and developer
Freelance
- Design and development of websites according to client specifications and needs
- Website maintenance
- SEO positioning
Research Associate
Nottingham Trent University, Interactive Systems Research Group
- Designing and conducting experimental protocols for user studies
- Research software developer
- Contributing to publications and project deliverables
- Assisting with the supervision of Undergraduate students
- Organisation of the Hackathon for the International Conference on Interactive Technologies and Games 2013
Education
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
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.
School of Computer Science and Informatics