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Education

2021 -Present

University of Glasgow

PhD, Computing Science & Pyschology

Glasgow, United Kingdom

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PhD with Integrated Study in Computing Science and Psychology, within the social AI CDT (UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Socially Intelligent Artificial Agents and Meta Responsible Innovation). My research focuses on safeguarding children and facilitating parental insight and moderation for social Virtual Reality (VR).

Additional Activities and Achievements

  • PGTA (tutor) for Psychology 1A (PSYCH1001) 2024-25

  • Supervised MSc CS+ student

  • PGTA (tutor) for COMPSCI5057 HCI – Design and Evaluation M - 2023-24

  • Guest Talk at Stanford Autonomous Agents Labs, 25th August 2023

  • Guest Lecture about Challenges and Ethical Considerations in Conducting HCI Research with Children, in the "User Interactions" University of Glasgow course for second-year graduate apprentices, 17th April 2023

  • Collaboration with RespectMe (Scottish anti-bullying charity): Co-design workshop with parents and children to raise awareness of the opportunities and risks of social VR.

  • Paley Society (Giggleswick  High School Pupils) gave talk about career path and PhD project 

  • Reviewer of papers CHI, CSCW, IDC, IJHCS

  • Co-lead on KidGuardVR proposal (EPSRC 2024)

Awards

  • CHI 2024 Student Volunteer

  • SPRITE+ 2023 Best Poster Award

  • Gary Marsden Award $1850 for IDC 2023

  • SICSA Research Scholar £500 for CHI 2023

  • SPRITE+ Beflast 2023 Awarded Travel and Accommodation Funding 

  • IDC 2023 Student Volunteer 

Public Engagement Events

  • Festival of Privacy - Rephrain in Bristol 26/03/2024

  • ARCadia in Glasgow 24/09/2022

  • ClassVR Event in Edinburgh 17/09/2022 

2017 - 2021

University College London 

Biomedical Engineering MEng (Master of Engineering)

London, UK

Grade: First-Class Honours (Average 83%)

  • Modules: Solid Biomechanics (91%), Computing in Medicine (89%), Bio Fluid Mechanics (86%), Research Software Engineering with Python (91%), Biomedical Engineering Group project (76%), Cardiac Engineering (75%)

  • Master Thesis (86%): Improving Aortic Stent Sizing Through Integrated Impedance Measurements. Presented Findings at the 21st International Conference on Biomedical Applications of Electrical Impedance Tomography EIT 2021, Galway, Ireland.

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2014 - 2017

Lycee Notre-Dame de Boulogne

High-School

France

Scientific French Baccalaureate 

  • Final year project awarded honours 20/20: Group research focused on promising technology using human genome, such as gene therapy, Crispr-CAS9

Experience

April 2024 - 
Present

Created Limited Company - Cristina Fiani Ltd

Consultant, Software Engineer (offering tailored solutions to meet your business needs and drive innovation)

Glasgow & London, UK (Hybrid)

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September 2023 - 
December 2023

VR Safety Intern

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) - PlayStation

London, UK (Hybrid)

March 2023 - 
September 2023

Project X Member of Cohort 6

Conception X

London, UK (Hybrid)

Conception X is a UK-based venture builder that helps top PhD students become tech entrepreneurs by creating research-backed startups focused on long-term impact. The 9-month program covers team-building, coaching in business and technology, mentoring from experts, client engagement, and connections with technology investors.

2019 - Present

Private Tutoring

Tutorful and Superprof

Glasgow, UK (Hybrid)

  • Strengthened organizational and time management skills, preparing lessons in advance

  • and ensuring each session runs smoothly.
    Adapted to individual learning styles and provided feedback and encouragement to help students reach their goals.

  • Received positive feedback on my teaching methods from students.

Summer 2021

Summer Research Intern (Amgen Scholar)

ETH Zurich

Zurich, Switzerland (Online)

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  • Interned in the Laboratory for Movement Biomechanics.

  • Worked on a machine learning project (Pose Refinement in Automated Registration of 3D Implants to 2D X-Ray Images) with the following research question:To what extent can we improve the starting position of 3D implant models overlaying 2D x-ray images of implants using PyTorch3D optimization?

  • Gained skills in machine learning, research and science communication.

2018-2021

Integrated Engineering Programme (IEP) ambassador at UCL

University College London

London, UK

  • Worked to ensure that the award-winning undergraduate teaching programme stays innovative and dynamic for all students, by being involved in projects and events such as video production and student engineering conferences.

  • Raised awareness of the IEP with delegates from Japan, sharing my experience as an engineering student.

  • Took part in a Leadership training programme enhancing my leadership skills such as planning and managingas well as supporting and encouraging team members. Later applied these skills as leader of my third-year design group project.

July 2020 - December 2020

Faculty of Engineering’s Learning Technology Unit (LTU), Teaching Assistant

University College London

London, UK

  • Selected, as one of just 20 students, to provide support to the Faculty’s academics to meet the current increased demand for online learning.

  • Created content for the module Appropriate Technology in Practice in the department of Civil, Environmental and Geomatic Engineering.

  • Helped with the installation procedure to develop healthcare applications with MATLAB Simulink.

Summer 2019

Summer Laboratory Research Assistant

The Francis Crick Institute

London, UK

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  • Completed a machine learning project for biomedical image segmentation gaining programming, biology and science communication skills.

  • Developed an artificial neural network that recognizes Sensory Organ Precursors on the drosophila wing as they cause inconsistency in the image segmentations used to understand patterns in the veins’ development.

  • Presented my findings to students and postdoctoral researchers at the end of the internship resulting in positive feedback from my supervisor and group’s leader as well as discussions with researchers from the audience.

2018 - 2019

Creator and mentor of mentorship Be My Encourager

University College London

London, UK

  • Created and led the formation of a mentorship to help biomedical engineering first year students at UCL which

  • led to expanding students' knowledge and enriching their tutoring experience.

  • Advised students on teamwork, presentations, coursework and life in London.

Volunteering

2020 - 2021

Volunteer, Bookmark Reading Charity

London, UK (hybrid)

Supported children with reading difficulties twice a week, using tailored strategies to improve their literacy skills and boost their confidence.

2018-2019

Volunteer, Impactive Project

University College London

London, UK

Aim is to create a positive impact on persons’ lives with a disease and make a difference to help them become more independent.

  • Engineer team leader: Designed and built a hearing device. Developed leadership skills.

  • Publicity: Volunteered in societies and engineering fairs at UCL, presenting the project to students and tutors.

2016-2017

Volunteer, Association Monde Humain

France - Nepal

  • Organised fundraisers and collected school supplies for Nepali children in my high school fairs during the year

    resulting in €2500 being raised.

  • Coordinated activities in Bishwa Shiksha Sadan School during three weeks, teaching Mathematics, Astronomy and Drama.

Technical Skills

Mechanics Software (ADAMS, Febio, Fusion360)

Programming (Python, R, C#, MATLAB, Arduino & GitHub, Google Colab)  

Mechanical Testing (Instron Machine ElectroPuls3000)

VR/AR development (Unity, C#)

3D Printing (Ultimaker)

Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Electronics

Research Skills

Participatory Design and Qualitative/Quantitative Measures

Designing and Running User Studies with adults, children, families

Other Skills

Teamwork & Collaboration

Teaching

Leadership

Training TEFL - Essential Safeguarding Children and Young People

Languages

French (native)

Spanish (basic)

English (proficient)

Activities

Dance (ballet, commercial, modern jazz, afro, dancehall, salsa)

Beginners Improv (Glasgow Improv Theatre 101) 8-week course and grad show (Tuesday 5th March 2024)

Weightlifting, functional fitness, boxing

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