Maria will be conducting research on work engagement within the realm of automation and AI, specifically within the field of rail traffic. Her particular interest lies in exploring the evolving division of labor between humans and technology, examining how AI will reshape work practices, and the potential risks of diminishing the meaningfulness of work. While automation has traditionally targeted repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as administration, monitoring, and manufacturing, the emergence of generative AI introduces new possibilities. This technology can now be applied in novel domains, offering solutions that partly replace professional intuition and creativity. Maria is interested in questions concerning the implications of this shift for future work engagement, how professionals will navigate this new landscape of labor division, and the role of embodied interaction within it.
As an associate professor in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) group at the Department of Informatics and Media, Uppsala University, Maria Normark’s research centers on fields such as critical design and Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW).