The RISE Team
Group Lead
Dr. Caroline Figueroa | she/her
I am a medical doctor by background and currently an assistant professor in digital health at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. I have a PhD in the neuroscience of depression from the University of Amsterdam and the University of Oxford. In addition, I have several years of experience working in clinical psychiatry as a licensed medical doctor.
My research centers on developing, testing, and implementing personalized digital health tools aimed at helping individuals improve their wellbeing and lead healthier lives. I place a strong emphasis on tailoring these tools to meet the needs of underserved populations, such as those from ethnic minoritized backgrounds and lower socioeconomic positions. My research mission is to develop and deploy technology to reduce (mental) health disparities and contribute to a transformation towards inclusion and equity within the field of Digital Health sciences. Email: c.figueroa@tudelft.nl
PhD Researchers
Kathleen Guan | she/her
I’m a PhD researcher interested in precision health equity and digital health, including how to dynamically tailor digital interventions according to diverse intersectional health factors in every individual. My current research adopts methods from implementation science, participatory design, and artificial intelligence to develop just-in-time adaptive interventions for adolescent well-being. Previously I completed research training in human rights, epidemiology, developmental neuroscience, and human-computer interaction, and I have worked in both public health and (health) tech industries. Reducing the global burden of health is a significant challenge necessitating open collaboration, so I’d love to hear from you about how we could partner: k.guan@tudelft.nl
Nic Orchard | she/her
Hi, I am Nic (pronouns she/her), a PhD candidate at TU Delft. My research explores the use of feminist intersectionality theory to guide the development of more equitable AI for mental health. I began as a biomedical scientist, fascinated by evolution, organism development, and cellular biology. However, I quickly narrowed down my interests, deciding to delve deeper into cognitive neuroscience. The field was advancing rapidly with research into the cognitive and neural processes behind neurodegenerative conditions, information processing and mental health. Throughout this journey I carried out coding projects and later felt pressured to master these skills given the growing popularity of data science and machine learning. The more I learnt about the world of AI, the more I learnt about its dangers and the need for conscious, morally driven, human-centred AI development. Having been involved in social justice movements, activism, and charity work throughout my life, I was eager to help shape the development of more equitable AI. Feel free to reach out to me at n.a.o.orchard@tudelft.nl!
Ruixuan (Rae) Zhang | she/her
Hello, I’m Ruixuan (Rae), a PhD candidate at the TPM faculty of TU Delft. My research is centered on developing design methods for inclusive digital mental health interventions (DMHIs). With a background in industrial design engineering and a specialized focus on human-computer interaction design, I am committed to the idea that designers serve as the gatekeepers for social justice, tasked with delivering responsible products that can reaching out to everyone. At the intersection of emerging technologies and human experiences, I believe that the reasonable and reuse of digital interventions in healthcare has the potential to transform challenges from both fields into great opportunities. If you share an interest in this field, please feel free to reach out—I would love to discuss our shared passions :) r.zhang-2@tudelft.nl
Research Assistants
Neslihan Can | she/her
Hello, my name is Neslihan! As a Design for Interaction master student, I focus on the interplay between a user and their context, and how to make this experience more pleasant. Design for me is a means to spread kindness, in the broadest sense of the word: whether this is kindness to yourself, others or the world. As such, I can be found in projects designing the interventions, tests and prototypes that help us take that small extra step to a kinder world. In the past, I have focused on serious games to achieve this. Currently, I'm looking into new digital interventions together with RISE.
Sarah Duister | she/her
I’m a strategic design student interested in revealing and challenging existing structures and pursued values in society and its systems. I believe that I can help foster this process through constant collaboration, curiosity, and empathy. Through my strategic design background and my previous research experience on community acceptance of the hyperloop infrastructure, I learned the importance of community-driven design through constant discussion about underlying relations. These discussions lead to adaptive learning to create good humane systems that value all individuals equally. Therefore, I am happy to take part in team RISE as a research assistant as its goals (social justice and equity) and method align with my personal beliefs.
Dimpy Gupta | she/her
Hello, I'm Dimpy. I completed my Bachelor's in Industrial Design at Eindhoven University of Technology, and currently, I am a Master's student in Design for Interaction at TU Delft. As a designer, I am passionate about sustainability, co-creation, and inclusive design. I believe that these factors are crucial for designing for both current and future user needs. In design projects, I prioritize engaging with people, approaching each interaction with care, and consistently asking "why" to uncover underlying needs. I am currently working as a research assistant at RISE, where I am excited to contribute to meaningful solutions that positively impact people's lives.
Kim de Jonge | she/her
Kim graduated with a master's degree in Design for Interaction from Delft University of Technology. Currently, Kim is working on a project to co-create digital interventions for pregnant women with obesity, combining her design expertise with a commitment to improving health outcomes. Alongside her professional work, she has also gained valuable experience as a Teaching Assistant at TU Delft and as a host at Dutch Design Week, where her passion for design and education continued to grow.