Research that helps mitigate risk to vulnerable populations online — helping to avoid experiences like cyberstalking or digital exploitation — is essential work for making technology safer for everyone. SARU (supporting at-risk users) research requires precautions that minimize harm to participants, but that same work can also pose risks to researchers themselves. It’s therefore essential that researchers have institutional support that promotes their wellbeing when undertaking this work, and that often begins with a proactive and reliable research lead or mentor. To help guide senior researchers in this field on how to lead in their labs and on campus, the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) has published a new brief: Leading […]

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Computing Community Consortium

The Computing Community Consortium (CCC) has published a brief on leading and mentoring in research that supports at-risk technology users (SARU). The brief covers three main areas: fostering rigorous research skills in team members through low-stakes learning environments, crafting proactive support plans that address researcher wellbeing, work-life boundaries, and risks like harassment or doxxing, and building community through cross-disciplinary collaboration, workshops, and asynchronous groups. The goal is to equip senior researchers with guidance to support early-career researchers in this sensitive and potentially harmful field.

What Does It Take to Be an Effective Leader and Mentor in Research Supporting At-Risk Technology Users? » CCC Blog