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About

Agam Oberlender is a rising researcher in Human-Robot Interaction (HRI), whose work explores the subtle social dynamics that shape how people perceive and behave around robots. Her research focuses on three key areas: the critical role of first impressions in HRI, the design of robots as mediators in complex environments, and the psychological effects of working alongside robotic peers. In her highly cited 2024 paper, "The Power of Opening Encounters in HRI," she demonstrated that a robot’s initial behavior—much like in human interactions—can fundamentally alter the entire trajectory of an interaction, a finding with 9 citations. Her 2023 work, "To Cross or Not-to-Cross," introduced a novel robotic object that leverages pedestrians' natural crossing habits to facilitate safe, intuitive communication with autonomous vehicles, earning 8 citations. Oberlender has also probed the darker side of human-robot relationships, examining how social comparison with a robot can trigger feelings of inadequacy, and how a robot’s shutdown can evoke a sense of tragedy. Her 2025 study on emergent leadership in human-robot teams opens new avenues for designing robots that can organically foster team cohesion. With a growing citation record and a portfolio that bridges social psychology and engineering, Oberlender is establishing herself as a key voice in understanding the nuanced, often emotional, realities of living with robots.