Heba Aly, Ph.D.
Dr. Heba Aly is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Science Technology at the University of Houston. Her research spans human–computer interaction, user experience, usable privacy, and human–AI interaction. She investigates how people understand, trust, and use digital technologies, with particular attention to older adults and underserved communities.
Her work examines how digital privacy education and AI-assisted learning can help people make informed decisions online. She also studies how individual differences, interface design, and opportunities for user control influence trust and technology use. Her broader research includes human–AI collaboration, digital mental health, and the role of personalization in user experiences.
Dr. Aly earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from Clemson University, where she conducted research in the Humans and Technology Laboratory under the mentorship of Dr. Bart Knijnenburg. Her doctoral research focused on digital privacy education for older adults, trust in AI instructors, and AI-assisted learning strategies.
- Ph.D., Computer Science, Clemson University, 2025
Dr. Aly teaches courses in digital media and computer information systems, including user experience, data analytics, web development, and information systems applications. Her teaching emphasizes practical activities and projects that connect technical skills with user needs and the societal impact of technology.
She encourages students to apply research methods, evaluate design decisions, and develop solutions that consider accessibility, privacy, and the experiences of diverse users.
- Human–computer interaction and user experience
- Usable privacy
- Digital privacy education and online decision-making
- Trust in AI and human–AI collaboration
- AI-assisted education and learning
- Inclusive technology design for older adults and underserved communities
- Personalization and user control in digital systems
Research Overview:
Digital Privacy Education and Decision-Making
Dr. Aly investigates how people learn about online privacy and how educational interventions can support informed decisions. Her research considers differences in age, digital literacy, and rural and urban contexts to inform more accessible privacy education. Her collaborative work also examines how stress and privacy fatigue affect online decision-making.
Trust in AI and Human–AI Collaboration
Her research explores how people perceive, trust, and collaborate with AI systems. This includes examining trust in human and AI instructors, the role of trust transfer in AI adoption, and how AI advice influences responsibility and ethical decision-making within human–AI teams.
AI-Assisted Education and Learning
Dr. Aly studies how AI can support learning through educational experiences that account for learners’ needs, preferences, and confidence with technology. Her work explores ways to introduce AI instructors and assistants that support engagement, understanding, and appropriate trust, particularly among older adults.
User Control, Personalization, and Inclusive Design
Her work examines how giving people greater control over digital experiences affects usability, confidence, and engagement. Research topics include author control over automated social media translations, customization in mental health applications, and technology design that accommodates diverse user needs.
2026
- Schelble, B. G., Flathmann, C., Aly, H., Lyons, J. B., & McNeese, N. Human or AI Advice? Examining Trust, Influence, and Responsibility in Ethically Charged Human-AI Team Decision-Making. Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making, 20(3). Article
- Liu, Y., Byrne, K. A., Aly, H., & Knijnenburg, B. Examining Age Differences in the Effectiveness of Digital Privacy Education Interventions on Online Cookie Decisions. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, 42(5), 3510–3542. Article
2025
- Gupta, A., Aly, H., Takeuchi, J. D., & Knijnenburg, B. P. Giving Social Media Post Authors More Control over the Translation of their Posts Enhances their User Experience. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 9(7), Article CSCW299. Article
- Aly, H., Volonte, M., Byrne, K. A., & Knijnenburg, B. P. Bridging the Trust Gap: Investigating the Role of Trust Transfer in the Adoption of AI Instructors for Digital Privacy Education. Proceedings of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Article 1099, 1–22. Article
- Aly, H., Liu, Y., Khan, S., Anaraky, R. G., Byrne, K., & Knijnenburg, B. Digital privacy education: Customized interventions for U.S. older and younger adults in rural and urban settings. Technology in Society, 81, 102805. Article
2024
- Liu, Y., Byrne, K. A., Aly, H., Anaraky, R. G., & Knijnenburg, B. Can Stress Put Digital Privacy at Risk? Evidence from a Controlled Experiment Examining the Impact of Acute Stress on Privacy Decisions on a Simulated Social Network Site. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 27(9), 664–672. Article
- Aly, H., Byrne, K. A., & Knijnenburg, B. P. Perceived Trustworthiness of Human vs. AI Instructors in Digital Privacy Education for Older Adults. Companion Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, 107–112. Publication record
- Aly, H. Enhancing Digital Privacy Education for Older Adults. Companion Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces, 137–139. Article
- Aly, H., Liu, Y., Anaraky, R. G., Khan, S., Namara, M., Byrne, K. A., & Knijnenburg, B. P. Tailoring Digital Privacy Education Interventions for Older Adults: A Comparative Study on Modality Preferences and Effectiveness. Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies, 2024(1), 635–656. Full text
2023
- Liu, Y., Anaraky, R. G., Aly, H., & Byrne, K. The Effect of Privacy Fatigue on Privacy Decision-Making Behavior. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 67(1). Article
- Aly, H. I., & Youssef, S. M. Bio-signal based motion control system using deep learning models: a deep learning approach for motion classification using EEG and EMG signal fusion. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 14, 991–1002. Published online in 2021; journal issue published in 2023. Article
2022
- Six, S. G., Byrne, K. A., Aly, H., & Harris, M. W. The Effect of Mental Health App Customization on Depressive Symptoms in College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mental Health, 9(8), e39516. Article
- Six, S., Aly, H., & Byrne, K. A. Investigating the Effect of Personalization in a Mental Health App on Depressive Symptoms. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 66(1). Article
- Aly, H., Liu, Y., Anaraky, R. G., Khan, S., Byrne, K., & Knijnenburg, B. P. Digital Privacy Education Interventions for Rural and Urban Older Adults. 7th Workshop on Inclusive Privacy and Security (WIPS), held in conjunction with SOUPS 2022. Workshop and paper
2018
- Aly, H. I., Youssef, S., & Fathy, C. Hybrid Brain Computer Interface for Movement Control of Upper Limb Prostheses. International Conference on Biomedical Engineering and Applications (ICBEA), 1–6. Article
Doctoral Dissertation
- Aly, H. (2025). Revolutionizing Digital Privacy Education for Older Adults: Enhanced Interventions and AI-Assisted Learning Strategies. Clemson University. Read dissertation