Mariah Bradford
PhD Candidate | Researcher in Human-Centered AI
Welcome to my personal website. I am a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Colorado State University with a passion for human-centered AI and collaboration research. My work focuses on understanding how AI systems can better support human collaboration through behavioral modeling and multimodal analysis.
I hold a B.S. in Computer Science and Psychology from Colorado State University (2022) and have been conducting research in AI and human behavior for several years. My research interests include human-centered AI, collaboration research, behavioral modeling, and natural language processing, with a particular focus on understanding team dynamics in collaborative environments.
When I'm not researching, I enjoy exploring the intersection of technology and human behavior, and I believe in the importance of creating AI systems that truly serve human needs and enhance our collaborative capabilities.
Interests & Hobbies
Human-Centered AI Research
Passionate about developing AI systems that understand and enhance human collaboration. My research focuses on modeling individual beliefs and behaviors in team settings using advanced machine learning techniques.
Multimodal Analysis
Fascinated by the intersection of text, speech, and behavioral data. I work on detecting collaborative states and understanding team dynamics through comprehensive multimodal datasets and analysis.
Natural Language Processing
Deeply interested in how language reveals collaboration patterns and team dynamics. My work includes linking deliberation chains in collaborative dialogues and common ground tracking in conversations.
Academic Community
Committed to advancing the field through peer review and conference participation. I serve on program committees for major conferences like COLING and AIED, contributing to the scholarly community.
Curriculum Vitae
Education
Ph.D. in Computer Science
Research focus: Human-centered AI, collaboration research, and behavioral modeling
Key coursework: Machine Learning, Statistics, Natural Language Processing
B.S. in Computer Science and Psychology
Research focus: Team behavior and human cognition
Key coursework: Research Design, Industrial Psychology
Professional Experience
Graduate Research Assistant
• Assessed team collaboration using advanced machine learning techniques
• Modeled behavior and gained insights from language features
• Developed, collected, and analyzed human-subject datasets
• Developed and demonstrated live AI/ML applications
• Published 18 papers in peer-reviewed conferences and journals
• Worked with government-funded grants (NSF and DARPA)
• Presented work at AI/ML/Education conferences
Key Publications
Recent Publications
Mariah Bradford, Hannah VanderHoeven, Ibrahim Khebour, Videep Venkatesha, Nathaniel Blanchard, and Nikhil Krishnaswamy. (In press). "Tracking Individual Beliefs in Co-Situated Groups Using Multimodal Input." International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 2025.
Mariah Bradford, Nikhil Krishnaswamy, and Nathaniel Blanchard. (In press). "The Impact of Background Speech on Interruption Detection in Collaborative Groups." International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2025.
Mariah Bradford, Ibrahim Khebour, Nathaniel Blanchard, and Nikhil Krishnaswamy. 2023. "Automatic detection of collaborative states in small groups using multimodal features." International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, Springer, 767–773.
Full list of 20+ publications available upon request.
Awards & Honors
Rising Star Award - Colorado State University
Research Grant: "Collecting Classroom Data for Multimodal Detection of Key CPS Indicators" - Funded $2,500
Service
Program Committee - COLING 2025
Program Committee - LREC-COLING 2024
Program Committee - AIED 2023
Projects & Skills
NSF AI Institute for Student-AI Teaming (iSAT)
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Working on collaborative AI systems that support student learning through intelligent teaming. Focus on understanding how AI can enhance human-to-human collaboration in educational settings through behavioral modeling and multimodal analysis.
DARPA FACT Program
Role: Graduate Research Assistant
Developing AI systems for analyzing conversational dynamics and accountability in collaborative dialogues. Work focuses on common ground tracking and understanding discourse in team conversations.
Skills & Competencies
Technical Skills
Research Skills
Professional Skills
Contact Information
bradford *dot* mariah99 *at* gmail *dot* com
Fort Collins, CO
Colorado State University
Computer Science Department
I welcome collaboration opportunities, speaking engagements, and discussions about human-centered AI research. Please feel free to reach out via email for the quickest response.