I am a Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science, a Schwartz Reisman Institute for Computer and Society graduate fellow, and affiliated with the DGP Lab, Open Design Collaboratory, and the Third Space Research Group at the University of Toronto. I am also doing a Doctoral Specialization in South Asian Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. My Ph.D. dissertation committee includes Dr. Syed Ishtiaque Ahmed (supervisor), Dr. Robert Soden, Dr. Steve Easterbrook, Dr. Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme, and Dr. Kentaro Toyama.

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I am broadly interested in the ethics of computing in general and AI in particular, with a focus on analyzing and developing technologies for cultural and value pluralism. My research program is at the intersection of human-computer interaction (HCI), ethics in artificial intelligence (AI), and critical social sciences. It spans three interconnected themes: (a) quantitative and interpretive exploration of the challenges of pluralism, (b) design and development of computing systems that address plural ethics, and (c) supporting cultural and value pluralistic practices in multicultural societies. Methodologically, I integrate computing techniques such as machine learning, natural language processing, and system building with qualitative explorations through ethnography and interviews, alongside theories and insights from ethics, decolonial and pluriversal design, and critical social sciences. This research aims to empower marginalized communities and make technologies safer and more inclusive for all. My work has been published and has received awards in leading venues for Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD), and Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency (FAccT), including CHI, CSCW, FAccT, ICTD, and COMPASS.

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I was born and raised in Bangladesh, a beautiful South Asian country. I speak Bengali and English. When we meet, please call me Rifat -- I go by my last name. When I am not reading, writing, researching, or teaching, I am running, visiting new places, singing or humming songs, gardening, or cooking.