Projects

(Last update: Feb, 2023)

I research the intersections of Software Engineering and Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW).

Current Research Projects

Supporting newcomers to Open Source Software (OSS) – Numerous OSS projects rely on the influx of newcomer developers for sustainability. Contributing to these projects offers a valuable learning opportunity for professional developers, students, and individuals without a technical background. In this project, we explore various facets of providing support to newcomers, including:

  • Identifying barriers encountered by newcomers [ICSE'15]
  • Developing tools for newcomer onboarding [ICSE'16]
  • Investigating the barriers and strategies used by mentors [JISA'21]
  • Predicting retention rates [EMSE'22]
  • Suggesting suitable tasks for newcomers [EMSE'23]
  • Implementing gamification to enhance newcomer engagement [CHASE'17]
  • Providing support to students [CSEE&T’17]

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Open Source Software – The diversity within OSS not only fosters a wealth of ideas but also grants access to a broader pool of developers. In this project, we delve into various D&I in OSS, including:

  • Removing inclusivity biases in tools and infrastructure [TSE'20]
  • Analyzing the participation of women [TOSEM'22]
  • Investigating the challenges faced by women [ICSE'22]
  • Exploring the diversity of motivation and perceptions of success [ICSE'21, TSE'21]
  • Understanding how to promote a sense of belonging [ICSE’23]

Using Large Language Models, Chatbots, and Bots in software engineering – Advancements in Artificial Intelligence promote a new era in software development. In this project, we investigate aspects such as:

  • Developing LLM-based chatbots for education in programming [CONVERSATIONS’23], data science [ICSE’24], and software engineering [ICSE’24]
  • Creating an LLM-based chatbot to facilitate the onboarding of newcomers to OSS
  • Examining the navigation within the solution space provided by LLMs
  • Investigating the evolution of Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) in software engineering
  • Assessing the impact of software bots [EMSE'22] and GitHub Actions [EMSE'23] on software projects
  • Understanding how to design the language used by chatbots [TOCHI'21]

Research Approach

    In general, I adopt the following approaches as a researcher:

    • Pragmatism – I use whatever method/approach I think most suitable for the problem and context at hand. I have used mixed quantitative and qualitative techniques and numerous methods, such as case study, experiment, action research, grounded theory, systematic review, etc.
    • Engineering – I like to view real-world classes of problems from an engineering perspective and develop tools and applications for them. I spend a lot of time reflecting and designing solutions.
    • Innovation – I love to do things differently and I thrive on new ideas.
    • Quality – I pursue quality in everything I do.
    • Multiple-areas – I have many interests and a passion for exploring new areas, and deal with the consequent dissonance that reveals many problems and opportunities and creates a flow of ideas. I like to bridge and interconnect different knowledge domains.

    Previous projects / research lines

    • Groupware Workbench: A component-based product line approach for developing collaborative systems
    • Arquigrafia: a social network for architecture and urbanism
    • Smart Audio City Guide: a mobile application for blind people
    • Metric Miner: a web-based tool for mining software repositories
    • AulaNet: computer supported collaborative learning


    For more details, check the publications page.