In what feels like another lifetime, I embarked on my journey as a graphic designer, armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts Sciences and In In what feels like another lifetime, I embarked on my journey as a graphic designer, armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Arts Sciences and Technologies (Multimedia and Art, Music, and Entertainment Disciplines). This trail explored the intersection of art and technology, enhancing my grasp of visual communication in a digital world and highlighting the importance of creativity through technological innovation.

During the pandemic, I focussed on introspection and pivoted my career to embrace my interests, leading me to pursue a Master’s in Communication, ICT, and Media. This experience sparked my curiosity about Human-Robot Interaction and the potential of robot-assisted therapy to support marginalized communities, such as disabled and neurodiverse people.

My commitment to impacting my community was sparked by a desire to blend robotics, technology, and communication. My master’s thesis explored this idea and led to my first publication presented at the cAESAR 2023 workshop in Turin. This milestone validated my desire for making a tangible difference in my community.

By February 2024, my journey had led me to AIRLab, where I was welcomed into a community of brilliant researchers and howelsome coworkers as part of my doctoral research program. Here, I embarked on a project dedicated to enhancing robots’ interaction capabilities from an autism-aware perspective. I aim to refine these technological mediators, enabling them to facilitate more effective communication between autistic children and therapists. This work represents a culmination of my academic pursuits and a personal mission to leverage my skills and passions to serve a cause that resonates deeply with me.

Reflecting on this journey, I realize how each step, from my initial foray into graphic design to my current research endeavours, has been guided by a desire to explore the fusion of art, technology, and communication. Embracing the uniqueness of my path, I recognize that each step was essential in guiding me to where I stand today at the intersection of innovation and empathy, ready to contribute to a field that holds immense promise for enhancing human connections and understanding.