People of ACM - Sole Pera

January 13, 2026

What are a few exciting trends in information retrieval and web-search that are shaping the field?

When I think of information retrieval (IR) trends, I cannot help but connect them to AI and large language models (LLMs). These disciplines stand out because they have pushed the community to revisit and rethink how to approach information retrieval. Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) makes it possible to tie responses to grounded evidence and handle more complex inquiries; knowledge-augmented retrieval (combining unstructured text with structured data and knowledge graphs) offers richer, more accurate answers. Together, these advances have propelled IR towards systems that reason and assist.

Another interesting development is the use of LLMs as judges (e.g., leveraging LLMs to determine relevance) which opens the door to broader and more efficient offline assessments, reducing the cost and time of traditional relevance judgments. Of course, this comes with challenges: LLM-based judgments can introduce bias and sustainability concerns that cannot be ignored, so we need to carefully reconsider how we validate and interpret these evaluations.

Equally important is the shift toward richer, more interactive experiences. Search is becoming conversational and task-aware, adapting to what users are trying to accomplish rather than treating queries in isolation. I hope this evolution goes hand in hand with a stronger commitment to human-centered design, so that systems not only perform well but also consider fairness, ethics, and the diversity of users and contexts. These are not just technical milestones—they’re opportunities to make information access more meaningful and inclusive. I’d like to see work in these areas become standard practice rather than remain mostly as calls for action.

You are currently the Co-Principal Investigator for the ongoing project “Scaffolding to Foster Independence When Children Search Online for Learning” (SOL), which is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). What was the impetus for this project? What major changes would you like to see in terms of how children can search for information on the web?

The SOL project grew out of years of conversations with Monica Landoni (and our advisory board) about the role of search in learning, the limitations of current technology, and the ethical and policy considerations surrounding children’s online experiences. We kept returning to the same concerns: youngsters often lack the digital literacy needed to navigate online information, yet they rely heavily on mainstream systems—and increasingly, not just search engines—for discovery. With the SOL team we seek to understand the interplay between technology and literacy in order to empower children to become independent searchers.

Unlike adults, children may lack vocabulary, conceptual understanding, and critical evaluation skills to formulate queries and assess credibility, which can lead to frustration, reliance on superficial sources, or exposure to misinformation. SOL addresses these issues by introducing scaffolding mechanisms that guide children through the search process, fostering independence while promoting safe and meaningful engagement with online content. We approach this through a human-centered lens, deliberately bringing together child–computer interaction and IR to ensure meaningful advances.

Looking ahead, I’d like to see a shift towards child-aware search environments that combine usability, transparency, and educational value. This means moving beyond simplified interfaces to systems that actively support query formulation, encourage exploration, and teach evaluation skills in an age-appropriate manner. Integrating adaptive scaffolds could empower children to become confident, critical information seekers—an essential skill in today’s digital learning landscape. This vision aligns with current policy initiatives like the DSA and reflects our commitment to leveraging mainstream technology for good: creating systems that truly serve children, rather than expecting children to adapt to systems that were never designed with them in mind.

In your recent paper, “Mirror, Mirror: Exploring Stereotype Presence Among Top-N Recommendations That May Reach Children,“ you (along with co-authors Robin Ungrugh and Murtadha Al Nahadi) examine the presence of stereotypes on content recommender algorithms (RA’s) potentially present to children. What is the crux of this problem, why is this issue so critical, and what risks go beyond stereotypes? Can you share why you believe new strategies are needed to identify and mitigate these concerns—not just for children, but for all users in today’s recommendation-driven world?

The core issue we address in this work is how RAs can unintentionally reinforce stereotypes and expose children to unsuitable content. Because RAs often rely on patterns in historical data, they can encode societal biases, and when recommendations target young users, the impact can be particularly harmful. Children are still developing critical thinking skills and may not question or recognize stereotypes embedded in recommendations, making them highly susceptible to skewed representations. Our work highlights the need to go beyond accuracy-focused evaluation and introduce mechanisms that identify, quantify, and mitigate these risks much like stereotype propagation proactively, ensuring that recommendations for children are not only relevant but also appropriate. 

But stereotypes are only part of the picture. Children are not a homogeneous group—differences in age, cognitive development, cultural background, and digital literacy all shape how they interact with recommender systems, which are embedded in their daily lives and help curate their view of the world. This reality underscores the social responsibility of these systems: they influence not only what children consume but also how they perceive opportunities, roles, and norms. And these concerns extend beyond children. Algorithmic personalization affects society broadly, amplifying risks in areas like misinformation and polarization. This is why we advocate for frameworks that systematically account for risks across different user groups, with special attention to vulnerable populations, and that combine algorithmic auditing, transparency, and user-centric evaluation to provide actionable insights and guide the design of RAs that balance personalization with ethical responsibility.

What made you decide to take on this new role as Co-Chair of the ACM Globalization Board? How might this new effort aid individuals in parts of the world who do not have sufficient resources to fully engage with the field?

I accepted the role of Co-Chair of the ACM Globalization Board because I strongly believe in expanding access to computing knowledge and opportunities worldwide. Computing is a global discipline, yet disparities in resources, infrastructure, and representation continue to limit participation for students and professionals in certain regions. The Board’s mission to broaden ACM’s reach aligns with my commitment to equity—not only in research but also in professional engagement and education. Through this role, along with my co-chair, I hope to help create pathways for individuals in resource-constrained regions to connect with the global computing community. Initiatives may include expanding access to ACM resources, fostering local chapters, supporting multilingual content, and promoting mentorship programs. Reducing these barriers ensures that talent and innovation are not confined by geography and strengthens the field through diverse perspectives and contributions.

This undertaking is also very personal. I grew up and completed my undergraduate studies in Argentina, earned my MS and PhD in the United States, began my tenure-track career there, and since 2022, I have been at TU Delft in the Netherlands. Experiencing the educational and professional realities of multiple countries gave me a firsthand understanding of the challenges, contextual nuances, and structural barriers that shape who can be in computing and what they can achieve. These experiences taught me that there are no simple solutions to representation and diversity—progress requires sustained effort, dialogue, and collaboration. That perspective is what I hope to bring to the Globalization Board, ensuring that global engagement is not just a goal but a reality for the computing community.

Why do you believe building and contributing to a strong research community is essential—not just for science, but for the people behind it?

For me, a research community has always been about more than advancing science—it’s about supporting the people who make that progress possible. Early in my career, my PhD advisor taught me that meaningful research rarely happens in isolation; it takes collaboration and mentorship. That lesson stayed with me when I started my academic journey and began supporting the ACM-W chapter at my institution as a faculty advisor, creating spaces where diverse voices could be heard and valued. Around the same time, I started attending RecSys and found something I didn’t realize I needed: a sense of belonging in a community that not only welcomed newcomers but encouraged us to step forward and contribute. RecSys became more than a conference series; it became a place where I could explore ideas, share my perspective, and learn from others who cared deeply about the intersection of technology, people, and the implications of recommender systems.

Over time, that sense of belonging turned into action—serving as General Chair for conferences such as RecSys and IDC; Program Chair for RecSys, UMAP, and CIKM; taking on roles like Inclusion Chair and Doctoral Consortium Mentor; and being part of the RecSys Steering Committee (SC). These roles were never just about logistics; they were opportunities to help shape the vision of our community alongside incredible co-chairs and SC members, from whom I learned so much. Together, we worked to create spaces that were not only welcoming but supportive, the kind of environment that had once helped me find my own voice.

That understanding has shaped everything I do. Co-organizing workshops like KidRec, IR4U2, and AltRecSys, and chairing initiatives like the SIGIR Student Travel Program, taught me the importance of creating spaces where ideas and people grow together. For me, it’s about more than networking—it’s about listening, supporting early-career researchers, and making opportunities accessible to everyone. This is the approach I hope to bring to the ACM Globalization Board: fostering environments where diverse voices are not only welcomed but empowered, where collaboration and mentorship are central, and where building community is inseparable from advancing research that matters. I’ve been fortunate to experience this firsthand, and now I want to help make it a reality on a global scale.