Ruth Stalker-Firth, PhD (EPFL), fascinated by how people use technology, and vice-versa.
Hello, my name is Ruth, I write about technology and storytelling, as for me, they are inextricably linked to us understanding ourselves and the world around us. When I ask people about their computers, they often tell me about their whole lives. This is because when we design software, we change the way that people work and that is a political act.
I firmly believe that understanding exactly how our technology works is the key to making us all happier, which is why I give talks demystifying AI. I have been online since 1995 and blogging here since 2007. This site gets ~1.2 million hits a year.
I’m a computer scientist with an undergraduate degree in computing (LJMU), postgraduate diplomas in AI, VR, and journalism, and a PhD in HCI for AI and big data for smart structures (EPFL). I’ve worked both as an IT consultant and university lecturer teaching HCI, AI, cognitive science,biometrics, IT security, and web technologies at BSc and MSc level, and beyond academia online.
I speak fluent French, terrible Italian, and Duolingo Dutch (elementary proficiency, Duo tells me) and I am proud to serve as an elected parent governor at GOSH. When not talking, writing, or consulting, you’ll find me roller skating or practising yoga.
Last updated: November 2025