Anna L Cox

I am a Professor of Human–Computer Interaction at UCL where I lead the eWorkResearch Lab, working on a central challenge of contemporary knowledge work: how can AI-mediated work systems enable reliable, meaningful, high-quality knowledge work without eroding the expertise, judgement, and wellbeing on which such work depends? This question is increasingly urgent as knowledge workers are asked to produce more, move faster, remain available across hybrid work settings, and absorb growing complexity with fewer temporal, cognitive, and organisational resources. I am also a Honorary Professor at University of Bristol, UK and an Affiliate Senior Research Fellow at CYENS Centre of Excellence, Cyprus.

My research sits at the intersection of technology, psychology, and organisational life. I study how digital systems reorganise everyday work, including how tasks, boundaries, recovery, invisible labour, and expertise are structured, and how these systems can be redesigned to support wellbeing and long-term effectiveness rather than narrow, short-term notions of productivity. I lead interdisciplinary HCI research, working closely with workers in academia, healthcare, and other knowledge-intensive settings. My work has contributed to reframing how productivity is understood in digitally mediated work, highlighting its socio-technical and psychological dimensions rather than treating it solely as a matter of efficiency or output.

Alongside my research, I have extensive experience in governance, equality, diversity and inclusion leadership, and policy advising. I have advised government on technology and wellbeing, and held senior roles shaping culture and practice within higher and secondary education. This governance perspective directly informs my research, grounding it in the structural realities that shape how work is experienced.

I also work as an internal coach at UCL, supporting individuals and senior leaders navigating complexity, workload, and change. Drawing on my combined research, governance, and leadership experience, I help people align roles, values, and practices in ways that are both sustainable and effective.

Recent Publications

Funded projects

Teaching

I’m the module convenor for PSYC0288 The Digital Workplace. Prior to this I was convenor for PSYC0099 Serious and Persuasive Games. You can read about some of the games created by my students Emma Holliday and Naveed Janmohamed.

I previously convened on PSYC0101 Interaction Science. I co-edited one of the key texts for the module Research Methods for Human Computer Interaction: Cambridge University Press. ‘Research Methods for Human-Computer Interaction is a wonderful resource, for both students and practitioners, who need to take a scientific approach to the design of user interfaces. [….]’ Dr Alan Blackwell, Reader in Interdisciplinary Design, University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory.

I have also undertaken a number of external roles related to education:

• Extern at University College Dublin (2024- )
• Governor at Sandringham School, St Albans (2013-2024 , Chair of Governors 2018-2024 )
• External Examiner at University of York (2014-2018)
• External Examiner at Kingston University (2011-2014)

External Engagement

• Inaugural Chair London ACM SIGCHI Chapter 2025-
• Papers Chair for CHI2027 in Pittsburgh
• Member of the CHIWORK Steering Committee
• General Co-Chair for CHIWORK 2023 and Technical Programme Chair for CHIWORK 2022
• Member of the CHI Steering Committee
• Specialist Advisor to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee at the House of Commons for the Immersive and addictive technologies inquiry
• Member of the CHI PLAY Steering Committee
• Technical Programme Co-Chair for CHI2018 in Montreal and CHI2019 in Glasgow
• Doctoral Consortium Co-Chair and Subcommittee Chair for Understanding People for CHI2017 in Denver
• General Conference Co-Chair for CHI PLAY 2015 & 2016
• Associate Chair for CHI2015 and CHI2016
• Member of the EPSRC College

Enabling & Institutional Citizenship

• 2019-2024 Vice Dean (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) in the Faculty of Brain Sciences
• 2017-2019 Athena SWAN lead for the Faculty of Brain Sciences
• 2015 Co-founder of Athena SWAN Psychology National Forum
• 2013-2017: Chair of the Athena SWAN self-assessment team in Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, achieving renewal of silver award on 2 occasions
• 2011-2014: Graduate Tutor in UCL Interaction Centre
• 2009-2017: Deputy Director of UCL Interaction Centre
• 2005-2012: Chair of the Board of Examiners for MSc Human-Computer Interaction

Videos & Articles in Popular Media About My Research

• Cited in more than 100 news articles about our work comparing the effects of digital games and mindfulness apps on post-work recovery https://jmir.altmetric.com/details/63721827/news
• interview in BBC Science Focus magazine (April 2019)
• cited in What Would Happen If We Banned Emails At The Weekend? BBC Capital (Aug 2018)
• podcast from Digital Mindfulness series: Tech & Work Life Balance with Anna Cox (September 2017)
• video from Meet The Researcher series at UCL Psychology & Language Sciences (September 2017)
• quoted in new scientist (August 2017)
• podcast from Changing Academic Life series: family, work & strategies for making the changes we want (March 2017)
• quoted in Does Banning Out of Hours Email Increase Employee Engagement? (January 2017)
• quoted in the news.com.au – France introduces legislation giving workers the ‘right to disconnect’ (January 2017)
• quoted in the Guardian – French workers win legal right to avoid checking work email out-of-hours (January 2017)
• quoted in The Telegraph – French win ‘right to disconnect’ from out-of-hours work emails (December 2016)
• featured in The Psychologist – From the ZX Spectrum to smartwatches (April 2016)
• featured in Women at UCL: Presence and Absence (March 2016)
• video of talk given at Product Tank Managing Interruptions = Better Digital Product Design (July 2015)
• article in The Conversation The gamer in your life isn’t ignoring you, they’re blind to your presence (June 2014)
• article in The Conversation Rough day at work? Call of Duty can help you recover in The Conversation (June 2014)
• featured in in BPS Occupational Digest – Gamers find it easier to relax and detach from work (March 2014)
• featured in Mens Health Magazine – The Super Fun Way to De-Stress from Work(April 2014)
• article in The Conversation –Speed reading apps are great for snippets but not sonnets (March 2014)
• cited in Psychology Today’s article How to Avoid Your Five Most Common Memory Errors: Research-based strategies to stop making mistakes that can ruin your day (Oct 2013)
• featured in Times Higher Educational Who got that job? (July 2004)