UX and privacy researcher

Leysan
Nurgalieva

about me

During the work hours, I am a UX Researcher at WhatsApp. Before joining Meta, I had an extensive academic/action research career exploring data practices underlying user experience and usable security and privacy of digital products and services across various domains (digital health and wellbeing, EdTech, information work tools). The research contributions of my work were published in various conferences and journals, including IEEE Access and SOUPS. I strongly believe in research collaborations and knowledge exchange, and I was a part of various international projects and groups, and I am a firm believer in mentorship and networking.

Book a mentoring chat with me here

Research statement

My research is grounded in the discipline of Human Factors with a specific interest in user-centered design and usable security and privacy of socio-technical systems. I explore the challenges and opportunities of designing secure user-centered information systems that respect users’ privacy: from information design and technological support of work practices in place to interaction design and user experience. My work aims to understand how to achieve a better fit between various stakeholders, organizational context, and technology within the healthcare context and beyond. I mostly employ mixed-method user studies with a focus on qualitative approaches.

Personal facts

International collaborations and mobility are an important part of my life. I grew up in Kazan (Russia) and then moved to Trento (Italy) where I did my Master’s and Ph.D., Munich (Germany) where I did my MA Internship and thesis, Uppsala (Sweden), and Berekely (USA) where I spent Ph.D. visiting periods, Manila (the Philippines) and Asuncion (Paraguay) where I went on the EU Horizon 2020 project secondments to conduct user studies during my Ph.D. Then I moved to Dublin (Ireland) for the MSCA postdoc and Helsinki (Finland) where I worked at Aalto University. I am now back in Italy working remotely for the UK office.

I went to an art school when I lived in Russia and I love art. Besides English and Russian, I speak Tatar and Italian. I am married to a Computer Vision scientist and we are still trying to figure out what research we could conduct together :)

research experience

I am happy to talk about any of my past experiences or supervisors/groups I worked with. Please, feel free to reach out!

WhatsApp, Meta, Remote (London, UK)

May 2022 - present

Qualitative UX Researcher in WhatsApp Integrity.

Aalto University, Helsinki, Finland

July 2021 - April 2022

Postdoctoral researcher at the research group of Janne Lindqvist.

Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

July 2019 - July 2021

ALECS Marie Skłodowska Curie postdoctoral fellow at the Health Technology Design research group with LERO under the supervision of Dr Gavin Doherty. Industrial research collaborations with NearForm and SilverCloud Health.

University of Trento, Italy

September 2012 - June 2019

PhD studies at Social Informatics research group (2016 - 2019) under supervision of prof. Maurizio Marchese and co-supervision of prof. Fabio Casati. Industrial research collaboration with CBA Group on the R&D project “Collegamenti” funded by the Province of Trento, Italy.

Munich Innovation Labs GmbH, Germany

March - August 2014

Internship and Master thesis on a joined research project of Munich Innovation Labs GmbH and Narvis-Lab of the Ludwig-Maximilians University (LMU) hospital on arthritis detection.