Karen Sowon

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I am an Assistant Professor at Indiana University since January, 2025. My research lies in the broader domain of human computer interactions. I investigate the behavioral and socio-cultural aspects of digital technology adoption and use, and human factors in security and privacy. The aim of my work is to understand experiences and needs, and surface challenges--so as to design appropriate technological solutions that are culturally relevant, safe, and usable--especially for understudied and marginalized populations. Prior to joining IU, I was a postdoctoral research associate at Carnegie Mellon University where I was honored to be co-advised by Giulia Fanti in collaboration with Asssane Gueye. I earned my PhD in Information Systems from University of Cape Town in South Africa.

Research Interests: Human-computer interaction, Usable security and privacy, ICT for Development (ICT4D), Inclusive innovations, Social computing, Human-centered cybersecurity.

Student Research: I am continually seeking highly motivated undergraduate and master’s students to join research projects (for academic credit, with the possibility of paid opportunities during the summer). Although I do not currently have funding for graduate students, I would be glad to connect with those who have secured independent support. Prospective students are encouraged to email me.

NEWS/BIO

News

  • 8/06/25: Our paper was awarded the IAPP SOUPS Privacy Award!
  • 1/1/25: Excited to be starting as an Assistant Professor at Indiana University!
  • 8/28/23: Excited to have been accepted to the EECS Rising Stars Workshop 2023!
  • 10/05/23: Thrilled to have been part of the future faculty diversity program at Virginia Tech! This was an enriching experience
  • 7/21/23: Honored to have given a talk at NIST (U.S. Department of Commerce) on challenges and opportunities in the use of identification (ID) for mobile money services.
  • 6/28/23: Honored to be the speaker at the Upanzi Network Digital Public Goods webinar series.
  • 4/01/23: I am on the PC for IEEE symposium on security and privacy. I look forward to engaging with the great pieces of work.
  • 10/10/22: Excited to be sharing our preliminary insights on the role of human agents in privacy and security of digital financial systems at the CyLab Africa summit on Digital Public Goods (Kigali, Rwanda)

Short Bio

Karen Sowon is an Assistant professor at Indiana University's School of Environmental and Public Policy. Prior to joining Indiana University, she completed her postdoc at CyLab, the Security and Privacy Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Her research spans the adoption and use of digital and emerging technologies such as those in finance and healthcare and human factors in privacy and security. She completed her Ph.D. in Information Systems from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Her doctoral research investigated the socio-cultural issues affecting the use of digital health interventions for maternal health in Kenya. She has previously served as a teaching and research assistant in the Department of Information Systems at UCT and worked as a research fellow at the Cybersecurity Capacity Centre for Southern Africa (C3SA). Her industry experience entails working as a Business Analyst on systems such as Converis and Microsoft Dynamics. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, she received her Masters and Bachelors in Information Technnology from Strathmore University

Publications

Sowon, K., Munyendo, C.W., Klucinec, L., Maingi, E., Suleh, G., Cranor, L.F., Fanti, G., Tucker, C., & Gueye, A. Design and Evaluation of Privacy-Preserving Protocols for Agent-Facilitated Mobile Money Services in Kenya. SOUPS 2025
IAPP SOUPS Privacy Award

Luhanga, E., Sowon, K., Cranor, L.F., Fanti, G., Tucker, C., & Gueye, A. User Experiences with Third-Party SIM Cards and ID Registration in Kenya and Tanzania.

Sowon, K., Luhanga, E., Cranor, L.F., Fanti, G., Tucker, C., & Gueye, A. The Role of User-Agent Interactions on Mobile Money Practices in Kenya and Tanzania. IEEE S&P, 2024

Sowon, K.,Maliwichi,P., Chigona, W., & Malata, A. The role of the community of purpose in maternal mHealth interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa context. Frontiers in Digital Health

Lamptey, B.O., Gueye,A., Sediu, M., Luhanga, E., & Sowon, K. A Low-Cost Honeynet Infrastructure For Smishing Data Collection. COMPASS, 2024

Nakaizumi, C., Patel, S., Wang, B., Kimura, H., Li, R., Yuan, Y., Sowon, K, & Cranor, L.F. A Usability Evaluation of Money Transfer Apps in the United States. SOUPS 2023

Scanlon, C.L., Walsh, J.S., Tienes, J., Sowon, K.<\b>, Huguet, A., Klug, D., Klinbubpa-Neff,T., & Shore, B. Decoding Viral Racism on TikTok: A Content Analysis and Interview Study to Inform Educational Interventions.

Kimani, G.N, Oluwadara, P., Fashingabo, M., Busogi, M., Luhanga, K., Sowon, K & Chacha, L. Cattle Identification Using Muzzle Images and Deep Learning Techniques.

Professional Service

Program Committee

  • USENIX: 2025
  • IEEE S&P: 2024
  • COMPASS: 2023

    • Organizing Commmittee

  • IFIP Track Co-Chair: 2021

    • External Reviewer

  • CHI: 2024
  • Frontiers in Digital Health: 2023, 2024

    • Mentoring

  • 2022: Mentor, Cybersafe Foundation
  • 2021: Mentor, Cybersecurity Competition, C3SA