For best experience please turn on javascript and use a modern browser!
You are using a browser that is no longer supported by Microsoft. Please upgrade your browser. The site may not present itself correctly if you continue browsing.

N.N. (Navya) Sharan

Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
CW : Youth & Media Entertainment

Visiting address
  • Nieuwe Achtergracht 166
Postal address
  • Postbus 15791
    1001 NG Amsterdam
  • Profile

    I am a PhD researcher at the Youth & Media Entertainment programme group at ASCoR. My dissertation focuses on human-robot communication. Prior to starting my PhD, I completed my undergraduate studies in psychology (BSc (Hons) Psychology, 2019) at University College London in the UK. Subsequently, I completed my Master's in Human-Machine Communication (MSc HMC, 2021) with an additional honours degree at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Outside of research, I am actively involved in projects with a social impact. Previously, I founded and ran my own voluntary social organization aimed at providing research mentorship to university students. I am also an avid reader, photographer, and traveller!

  • Research

    My research interests lie at the intersection of psychology and technology.

    During my undergraduate studies, I completed a summer semester abroad at Singapore Management University where I learnt about global technological trends and the design and application of smart technologies. 

    Subsequently, in my Master's, I specialized in cognitive engineering, a branch of human-machine communication focused on using psychological concepts and principles to building technological systems. I completed my Master's thesis at the Enhancing Ability Lab at Cornell Tech where I designed and evaluated an accessible virtual reality environment to facilitate social interaction among students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I also completed a year long research internship at TNO, Netherlands where I studied social presence in mediated communication. 

    In a similar vein, my PhD project focuses on expanding our (theoretical) understanding of how we communicate with advanced social robots.

  • Publications

    2022

    • Sharan, N. N., Toet, A., Mioch, T., Niamut, O., & van Erp, J. B. F. (2022). The Relative Importance of Social Cues in Immersive Mediated Communication. In T. Ahram, & R. Taiar (Eds.), Human Interaction, Emerging Technologies and Future Systems V - Proceedings of the 5th International Virtual Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies, IHIET 2021 and the 6th IHIET: Future Systems IHIET-FS 2021 (pp. 491-498). (Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems; Vol. 319). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-85540-6_62

    2020

    2022

    • Sharan, N. N., Toet, A., Mioch, T., Niamut, O., & Van Erp, J. B. F. (2022). Measuring Quality of Mediated Social Communication. In Human Interaction & Emerging Technologies (IHIET-AI 2022): Artificial Intelligence & Future Applications AHFE International. https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe100842

    2020

    • Sharan, N. N. (Author), & Kulkarni, I. (Ed.) (Editor). (2020). Changing the climate conversation from denial to action. Web publication or website, Degrees of Change.
    • Sharan, N. N. (Author), Kulkarni, I. (Ed.) (Editor), & Takle, T. (Ed.) (Editor). (2020). Optimising smart cities: Learnings from the world. Web publication or website, Degrees of Change.
    • Sharan, N. N., Klein, L., & Cruiming, J. (2020). Edugagement: Increasing engagement in the FSE Honours Programme. https://www.rebuildingeducation.com/edugagement/

    2023

    • Sharan, N. N., Peter, J., & van Straten, C. L. (2023). "Helping Faces": The Effect of Faces in Reciprocal Helpful Behavior. Poster session presented at Emotions 2023, Tilburg, Netherlands.

    2022

    • Sharan, N. N. (2022). Neurodiversity in virtual reality: Facilitating social interaction for students with ASD. Paper presented at ICA, Paris, France.
    This list of publications is extracted from the UvA-Current Research Information System. Questions? Ask the library or the Pure staff of your faculty / institute. Log in to Pure to edit your publications. Log in to Personal Page Publication Selection tool to manage the visibility of your publications on this list.
  • Ancillary activities
    No ancillary activities