Dr. Verena Distler
Assistant Professor, Aalto University
I am an assistant professor at Aalto University’s Computer Science Department (Finland), where I head the Research Group Humans, Security and Privacy.
I conduct research at the intersection of psychology, human-computer interaction, and security/privacy. My interdisciplinary research examines human resilience to deception and risk in digital environments. I study how people experience and respond to social engineering, misinformation, and other forms of online manipulation, and how technology can support informed and autonomous decision-making.
My research interests are:
Human experiences of digital deception, including social engineering, misinformation, and related online manipulation.
Design and evaluation of user-centered technologies that support critical judgment, informed choices, and user autonomy.
Behaviors in response to security technologies and interventions.
Before joining Aalto, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at UniBw M in Munich. I earned my Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Luxembourg, during which I also completed a research stay at CMU’s Cylab. I also hold a master’s degree in social sciences from the École Normale Supérieure de Lyon in France.
The best way to reach me is email: verena.distler AT aalto.fi.
