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Reza Moradinezhad

Computer Science PhD Candidate
Drexel University

I am a PhD candidate in Computer Science at Drexel University College of Computing and Informatics. I work with Dr. Erin Solovey at Advanced Interaction Research Lab.

After graduating my B.S. in IT Engineering from University of Mazandaran, Iran in 2013, and after two years of teaching and freelancing in Website and Windows application development, I started my PhD program at Drexel University in 2015. My research involved using physiological data, namely brain data acquired by functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a means of feedback for Human Computer Interaction (HCI).

My current project looks at factors of trust between Humans and Embodied Virtual Agents (EVAs). We look at how an agent's inconsistent behavior can affect the human's trust. We also explore how one agent's behavior can cause a human to perceive another agent's trustworthiness differently. The current focus of the project on building a machine learning (ML) model to predict users' trust toward EVAs.

Research Interests:

Human-Computer Interaction: Trust, Embodied Virtual Agents, Brain-Computer Interfaces

Virtual Reality: Computer Games, Immersive Environments, Simulations

Computational Intelligence: Machine Learning, Pattern Recognition, Feature Selection

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EDUCATION
2015-2018

Master's Degree

Computer Science

Drexel University

Philadelphia, PA, USA

2009-2013

Bachelor's Degree

Information Technology Engineering

University of Mazandaran

Babolsar, Iran

EDUCATION
SKILLS
SKILLS

Programming Languages: C++, C#, Python, Java, JavaScript, PHP

Database Languages: SQL, MySQL

Related Software: Matlab, Unity, Octave, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft SQL server, Adobe Dreamweaver, Navicat, VMWare

EXPERIENCE
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2015-Present

Research Assistant

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Human Trust toward Embodied Virtual Agents

An experiment to study the change in human trust towards assistive embodied virtual agents when presented to agents with different levels of consistency during a question and answer task. One of the important goals of this project is to see how interaction with one agent can change the perceived/expected trust in a previous/future agent:

  • Designed the experiment

  • Mentored two undergraduate student to build two embodied virtual agents capable of showing different facial expressions using Unity and help with the coding of the interface

  • Mentored a master’s student at Worcester Polytechnic Institute to work on a part of this project as their master’s thesis

  • Built a Unity Interface using C#

  • Ran experiments and collected and analyzed the data

  • Built a machine learning model to predict users’ trust

  • Wrote papers based on the obtained results

   

Mind Wandering in SART
Using functional near infrared spectroscopy to find hemodynamic differences in brain tissue between mind-wandering and focus periods during a Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART):

  • Mentored an undergraduate student to modify the experiment design and run the experiments

   

fNIRS Data Visualization

Developing a user interface in Matlab to visualize the data collected by fNIRS device. This includes the ability to show a certain section of data, for example a specific channel or a specific event. It also adds the ability to apply multiple filters and perform different preprocessing procedures:

  • Mentored an undergraduate student to come up with the design and then implement different parts of the design

     

Creativity and Brainstorming Study
Investigating the effectiveness of semantically far inspirations provided by a creativity support tool by observing the changes in participants’ cognitive workload using functional near infrared spectroscopy:

  • Helped with modifying the experiment design

  • Helped with running the experiments and collecting data

  • Helped with writing a paper based on the obtained results

   
Intelligent Tutoring System Study

Investigating the changes in participants’ attention and cognitive workload using functional near infrared spectroscopy while they solved math problems by the help of an intelligent tutoring system; with the aim of understanding the necessary steps toward making neuroadaptive learning environments:

  • Helped with running the experiments and collecting data

2011-2015

Website and Windows Application Developer

MaazWeb, Sari, Iran

Developing several websites and business applications using C# and SQL for applications and PHP, JavaScript, and MySQL for websites. Worked as part time freelancer.

Summer 2011

Software Analyst

Rayaneh Electronic Corporation, Sari, Iran

Analyzing and debugging the code of a car diagnostic software written in C#

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2015-Present

Teaching Assistant

Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Mathematical Foundations in CS

Assisting lab sections for ~60 students in total, Assisting with designing lab and homework assignments and exams, Holding office hours, Proctoring quizzes and exams, Grading assignments, quizzes and exams

Computational Photography

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Software Engineering

Holding office hours, Leading lab sections for ~120 students in total, Grading assignments and exams

Data Structures and Algorithms

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Artificial Intelligence

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Computer Graphics

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Concurrent Programming

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Graphical User Interfaces

Holding office hours, Grading assignments and exams

Introduction to Multimedia Programming

Holding office hours, Leading lab sections for ~90 students in total, Grading lab assignments and exams

2013-2015

Programming Teacher

KRB Educational Complex, Babolsar, Iran

Introduction to C++ Programming

Introduction to C# Programming

Introduction to Java Programming

Fall 2014

Teaching Assistant

University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran

Computer Lab

Designing the syllabus, Teaching the course to ~20 students, Designing and grading assignments and exams

2013-2014

English Teacher

Hadaf Language Institute, Sari, Iran

Fall 2013

Programming Teacher

University of Mazandaran Students Association, Babolsar, Iran

Introduction to C++ Programming

PUBLICATIONS
PUBLICATIONS
Journal Papers
  1. Reza Moradinezhad, Erin Solovey “Investigating Trust in Interaction with Inconsistent Embodied Virtual Agents”, Accepted at International Journal of Social Robots (IJSR)
     

  2. Jamal Ghasemi, Jamal Esmaily, Reza Moradinezhad “Intrusion Detection System using an Optimized Kernel Extreme Learning Machine and Efficient Features”, Sādhanā 45, 2 (2020) doi:10.1007/s12046-019-1230-x (Link)
     

  3. Jamal Ghasemi, Reza Moradinezhad, Mir Amin Hosseini “Kinematic Synthesis of Parallel Manipulator via Neural Network Approach”, International Journal of Engineering Volume 30, 9, 2017 (Link)

Conference Papers
  1. Reza Moradinezhad, Erin Solovey “Assessing human reaction to a virtual agent’s facial feedback in a simple Q&A setting”, 2018 2nd International Neuroergonomics Conference (Link)
     

  2. Joel Chan, Kanya "Pao" Siangliulue, Denisa Qori, Ruixue Liu, Reza Moradinezhad, Safa Aman, Erin Solovey, Krzysztof Gajos, Steven Dow “Semantically Far Inspirations Considered Harmful? Accounting for Cognitive States in Collaborative Ideation”, Proceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGCHI Conference on Creativity and Cognition. ACM, 2017 (Link)
     

  3. Jamal Esmaily, Reza Moradinezhad, Jamal Ghasemi “Intrusion detection system based on Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Networks and Decision Tree”, Information and Knowledge Technology (IKT) 2015 7th Conference  (Link)

Workshop Presentations
  1. Reza Moradinezhad, Erin T. Solovey “Embodied Conversational Agent Behavior and its Impact on Trust in Other Agents” Proc CHI 2020 Workshop on Mapping Grand Challenges for the Conversational User Interface Community. 2020. (Link)
     

  2. Reza Moradinezhad, Erin T. Solovey “Integrating Brain and Physiological Sensing with Virtual Agents to Amplify Human Perception” Proc CHI 2017 Workshop on Amplification and Augmentation of Human Perception. 2017. (Link)
     

  3. Erin Treacy Solovey, Ruixue Liu, Reza Moradinezhad “Advanced Interaction Research in Autonomous Vehicles”, Proc CHI 2016 Workshop on HCI and Autonomous Vehicles: Contextual Experience Informs Design. 2016. (Link)

VOLUNTEERING AND MEMBERSHIP
MEMBERSHIP
2015-2018

Vice President of Student Life (2017-2018)

Director of Technology (2015-2017)

International Graduate Students Association (IGSA)

  • Holding social, educational, and recreational events for a community of more than 5000 students

  • Collaborating with other organization, reaching out the whole 14000 Drexel students

  • Events size varied from 20 to 400 (students and guests)

2016-2017

President

Persian Stundents Association (PSA)

  • Holding social and recreational events for a community of more than 200 students

  • Events size varied from 10 to 300 (students and guests)

2017-Present

Member

American Computing Machinery (ACM)

May 2016

Student Volunteer

ACM CHI 2016

May 2017

Student Volunteer

ACM CHI 2017

June 2018

Student Volunteer

International Neuroergonomics Conference 2018

May 2020

Student Volunteer

ACM CHI 2020 (Cancelled due to COVID-19)

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

ACM ICMI 2019 Outstanding Reviewer (Link)

ACM CHI 2021 Outstanding Reviewer

AWARDS
CONTACT
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