I’m a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at UC Irvine where I design privacy-preserving and behaviorally adaptive systems at the intersection of extended reality (XR), mobile computing, and machine learning. As a member of the Pervasive Autonomy Lab, advised by Prof. Salma Elmalaki, my work explores how we can make immersive technologies, like mixed and virtual reality, both safer and more human-centered by developing real-time privacy safeguards for XR devices, creating digital twins for modeling human and group behavior, and building open-source tools that advance ethical, user-centric design.

I hold a BS in Computer Engineering from Ateneo de Manila University, where I first discovered my passion for solving real-world problems through technology. Outside the lab, I enjoy reading, gaming, and exploring new foods with friends.

Thanks for visiting my website, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like to learn more about my research!

Papers

Preprint

Diana Romero, Fatima Anwar, Salma Elmalaki, “MoCoMR: A Collaborative MR Simulator with Individual Behavior Modeling,” The 3rd International Workshop on Human-Centered Sensing, Modeling, and Intelligent Systems (HumanSys’25) Co-located with CPS-IoT Week 2025 

Yasra Chandio*, Diana Romero*, Salma Elmalaki, Fatima Anwar,“What Sensors See, What People Feel: Exploring Subjective Collaboration Perception in Mixed Reality,” Apr 2025, arXiv:2503.09874 [*equal contribution]

Diana Romero*, Yasra Chandio*, Fatima Anwar, Salma Elmalaki, “GroupBeaMR: Analyzing Collaborative Group Behavior in Mixed Reality Through Passive Sensing and Sociometry,” Feb 2025, arXiv:2411.05258 [*equal contribution]

Diana Romero, Ruchi Patel, Athina Markopoulou, Salma Elmalaki, “GaitGuard: Towards Private Gait in Mixed Reality,” December 2023, arXiv:2312.04470

Recent News

Teaching

TA for EECS 112L Organization of Digital Computers Laboratory

F23, W24, F24, W25

Services

CPS-IoT Week Student Volunteer (2025)

As a student volunteer at CPS-IoT Week 2025 , I assisted in the smooth operation of one of the leading conferences in cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things. My responsibilities included helping with session logistics, supporting speakers and attendees, and ensuring that events ran on schedule. This experience allowed me to connect with researchers from around the world and gain insight into the latest developments in CPS and IoT.

WiCyS at UCI Chapter Secretary (2024-2025)

As Secretary of the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) UCI Chapter, I help coordinate chapter activities, manage communications, and support initiatives that promote diversity, inclusion, and empowerment for women in cybersecurity. I work closely with the leadership team to document meetings, organize events, and keep our members informed and engaged.

GradMAP Philippines Mentor (2023-2025)

As a GradMAP Philippines Mentor, I am a part of a STEM Mentorship Network that aims to provide resources and mentorship to Filipino students from diverse backgrounds throughout the grad school application process.