POSTED: 03 Feb, 2025

We are pleased to welcome Dr Valeria Macalupú as our newest Postdoctoral Research Fellow!

Valeria joins the QUT (Queensland University of Technology) team where she will be working within our Human Robot Interaction program under the supervision of Program co-Lead Associate Professor Jared Donovan!

Valeria will be researching the role of collaborative robots in enhancing manufacturing processes and enabling non-invasive manipulation in surgical settings. Her work aims to bridge the gap between innovative robotic technologies and their practical adoption in industry, with a focus on designing intuitive, user-centered systems.

With a PhD in Interaction Design from QUT and a strong foundation in Industrial Design, Valeria has led multidisciplinary research projects that co-design social and service robots through participatory design, co-design methods, and ethnographic studies. She has collaborated closely with partners in the aged care and robotics industries to create impactful solutions. Valeria’s research interests lie in human-robot collaboration, technology acceptance, and exploring the social dynamics of robotics in real-world environments.

Welcome to the team, Valeria!