Graduate Student Spotlight: Celebrating International Education Week with Maryam Hassani

From Nov. 18-23, International Education Week (IEW) celebrates international education and exchange, honoring the contributions of scholars from around the world — scholars like Maryam Hassani.

Hassani, a third-year informatics Ph.D. student advised by Informatics Professor Sean Young, brings an international perspective to UC Irvine. She originally came to UCI from Iran to earn her Ph.D. in computer science, later discovering informatics through Informatics Professor Bill Tomlinson’s class Information Technology in Global Sustainability.

“I realized I could combine my background in Electronic Engineering and Computer Science to develop impactful healthcare technologies. This led me to switch my major and start a Ph.D. in Informatics in 2022, with the supervision of Dr. Sean Young, focusing on health and technology for marginalized populations, such as individuals with HIV or Substance Use Disorders,” says Hassani.

Reflecting the spirit of IEW, Hassani studies how marginalized populations interact with technology, designing solutions to enhance their experiences and improve health outcomes.

“With support from my advisor, Dr. Young, I’m also involved in entrepreneurial initiatives to bridge the gap between research and real-world application,” she says. For this work, Hassani received an individual award from the NIH’s National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Her team was also honored with a separate award from NIDA.

In addition to supporting marginalized populations through research and entrepreneurship, Hassani is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in computing.

Within the Informatics department, she serves as the diversity ambassador, representing UCI at diversity computing conferences and supporting current and prospective informatics students.

“I connect with students from diverse backgrounds, discuss their interests, and help them explore whether graduate school and specifically Informatics align with their goals,” says Hassani. “I also mentor them through the application process.”

Hassani is also involved in DEI initiatives at UCI and beyond with the Society of Women Engineers, Association for Women in Science and National Center for Women & Information Technology.

When she’s not immersed in research or advocacy, Hassani likes participating in science-based challenges, discovering new movies, finding hidden food gems, traveling and experiencing new cultures. These experiences enrich her perspective, supporting her commitment to fostering diversity in STEM.

“As an international student and often one of the few women in classes and teams that I have been part of, I’ve personally experienced how a strong sense of belonging can shape academic success and career outcomes. This understanding has strengthened my commitment to advocating for diversity in STEM,” she says.

Hassani can be reached at mhassan2@uci.edu.

— Karen Phan