Études

Varun Shiri

SHIRI VARUNComputer Engineering
varun.shiri@polymtl.ca

Long title of research paper: Increasing Privacy Awareness: Enhancing Mobile App Users’ Motivation to Adopt Privacy Protecting Practices
Short title of research paper: Don't trust an app by its appearance

Short presentation

My name is Varun Shiri. I am currently pursuing a Master’s in Computer Engineering. I am part of the Human-Centered Design Lab, under the supervision of Professor Jinghui Cheng. My research revolves around privacy in mobile applications. I am studying the cultural differences between users’ privacy considerations online. I am also researching design solutions to increase smartphone users’ awareness of privacy and to motivate users to take action to protect their privacy.

What was your method of explaining your thesis in 3 minutes?

To begin with, I familiarized myself with what is expected of a 3MT participant by watching videos of previous competitions. I then referred to the comments provided by Professor Thomas Gervais. I gathered my thoughts and penned down an initial draft of my research ideas. Later, I approached each section of the presentation one by one. I thought out an introduction that the audience could relate to, organized my matter into the research process and results, and finally considered an effective and concise conclusion. The toughest part was certainly condensing all the information to fit within 3 minutes, but I was able to do it by prioritizing the main ideas I wanted to convey.

What inspires you to do research?

My first research experience was during the Mitacs Globalink internship in the summer of 2021. It opened my eyes to the potential reach of software engineering research. With millions of people heavily dependent on software systems in their daily lives, I believe that my research can eventually have an impact on society at large. At the same time, it is exciting to discover and learn something new every day.

If you have to dedicate your research to anyone in the past, present, or future, who would it be and why?

I would dedicate my research to my parents and sister, who have supported me through every step of my journey here. They are the reason I am in this capacity as a researcher today. On a broader level, my research is dedicated to every smartphone user (which is basically more than 86% of the world’s population), as I wish to help users be on top of their data and privacy.

3 key words to define your research

Privacy, user motivation, design
 

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