Anna Cox

Professor.

Professor Anna Cox is a leading expert in Human-Computer Interaction at the UCL Interaction Centre (UCLIC), within the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences at University College London. As the head of the eWorkResearch group, her interdisciplinary research focuses on the use of digital technology across both work and personal life. Her research explores how technology design influences productivity and work-life balance in diverse settings, including healthcare, finance, academia, and crowdwork. Additionally, she investigates the role of digital leisure activities, such as video watching, gaming, and citizen science, in supporting recovery from work-related stress. Professor Cox has made significant contributions to public policy, serving as Specialist Advisor to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee for the UK House of Commons during their 2019 inquiry into immersive and addictive technologies. In recognition of her contributions to the field, she was inducted into the prestigious SIGCHI Academy in 2024.

Her academic journey began with a degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Hertfordshire, followed by an MSc in Human-Computer Interaction from Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London. She completed her PhD at the University of Hertfordshire in 2002. After beginning her academic career as a Lecturer in Computer Science at Hertfordshire, she joined UCL as a Lecturer in 2004 and was promoted to full professor in 2017.

Professor Cox has held several HCI community leadership roles, including Technical Program Chair for CHI 2018 and CHI 2019, General Chair of CHI PLAY 2015 and 2016, and CHI WORK 2023. She is a member of the CHI and CHIWORK steering committees. Within UCL, she has been instrumental in promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, having served as Vice Dean (EDI) in the Faculty of Brain Sciences from 2019 to 2024, Deputy Director of UCLIC from 2009 to 2017, and Chair of the Athena SWAN self-assessment team in the Division of Psychology and Language Sciences from 2012 to 2017.

Professor Cox continues to lead pioneering research at the intersection of digital technology, work, and wellbeing, with a strong commitment to creating a fairer and more inclusive world.