About

Hi, I'm Farhana, I am a Ph.D. student at the Kahlert School of Computing, University of Utah. My primary field of interest is Human‑Computer Interaction with a focus on Security and Privacy. I enjoy the process of learning and implementing new technologies. I am a quick learner and a team player. I am also a self-motivated person and I love to take challenges.

Beyond the professional realm, I enjoy painting, crafting and cherish a passion for diverse cuisines. I find joy in expressing my thoughts through art and discovering new recipes to experiment with in the kitchen.

Education

Ph.D. in Computer Science
Advisor: Dr Sameer Patil
Courses:

  • Human Aspects of Security and Privacy (F 24)
  • Human Computer Interaction (F 24)

B.Sc. in Computer Science and Engineering


Research

A Comprehensive Analysis of Phishing Email Reports in Organizational Setting

Aug 2024 - Current

In this work we are in pursuit of exploring the potential of existing LLMs to guide non-native english speaking children to improve their proficiency in english writing. I am developing a mobile app to be used as the ChatGPT supported EFL learning platform.

Field: Human-Computer Interaction and Cybersecurity

  • SupervisorDr Sameer Patil, Associate Professor, KSoC and Faculty Co‑Director, DATASET Initiative at the University of Utah
ChatGPT-Supported EFL learning image
Bridging Educational Gaps: ChatGPT‑Enhanced EFL Learning for Underprivileged Students

Aug 2023 - Current

ChatGPT-Supported EFL learning image

In this work we are in pursuit of exploring the potential of existing LLMs to guide non-native english speaking children to improve their proficiency in english writing. I am developing a mobile app to be used as the ChatGPT supported EFL learning platform.

Field: Human-Computer Interaction

  • SupervisorDr. A. B. M. Alim Al Islam, Professor, CSE, BUET
  • IdeatorMahjabin Nahar, Graduate Teaching Assistant at Penn State. Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology
  • Collaborative Work With Penn State University Under the Supervision Of Dongwon Lee, Ph.D. Penn State University, USA
  • Dev Tools and Frameworks React-native, Django, Firebase, Twillo, ChatGPT API
Short Videos, Big Impacts: Unveiling the Secret to Captivating Short Videos

Aug 2023 - Dec 2023

Short videos or reels, a new form of entertainment, have become quite popular among the users of Social Networking Sites and have considerably boosted the user engagement. However, some recent studies have shown that frequent context switching caused by short videos can have detrimental effects on human cognition. In this work, we have explored the impact of short videos on human cognition and also proposed a novel approach for content recommendation in order to reduce their detrimental effects. This work is currently under review in a renowned conference.

Field: Human-Computer Interaction, Recommendation Systems

Personalized recommendation
Risking Privacy for Personalized Recommendations: A Study of Awareness And Security Concern of Recommendation System Users

Aug 2023 - Feb 2024

Personalized recommendation

In this work, we have investigated the awareness and security concerns of recommendation system users. We are interviewing participants and analyzing the data using thematic analysis.

Field: Human-Computer Interaction, Recommendation Systems

  • SupervisorDr. Sadia Sharmin, Associate Professor, CSE, BUET
  • Tools for Quantitative Analysis SmartPLS
Privacy Perspectives of Shared Mobile Phones Within Households

Feb 2023 - Feb 2024

In this work, we are investigating the privacy perspectives of shared mobile phones within households. I have interviewed 13 participants. Currently we are in the process of more data collection and analysis of the data using thematic analysis.

Field: Human-Computer Interaction

Privacy Perspectives of Shared Mobile Phones Within Households
On The Impact and Detection Of Knowledge Graph Based Semantic Aware Shilling Attacks On Recommendation Systems

Jun 2022 - Jul 2024

shillng attack

Undergraduate Thesis
In this work, I have uncovered the underlying theory of the improved attack performance and undetectability of a knowledge graph based state of the art shilling attack model. I have implemented 3 different types of recommendation systems, 6 types of Shilling Attacks (including 1 obfuscation) and 3 benchmark shilling attack detection methods and evaluated their performance on the renowned MovieLens and YahooMovies datasets.

Field: Recommendation System, Machine Learning, Security


Projects

Machine Learning

Image Captioning in Bengali

Python, TensorFlow, Keras, OpenCV

The project aims to generate captions in Bengali using the benchmark image captioning machine learning model "Show, Attend and Tell", trained on the eminent COCO dataset translated to Bengali.


Code
Machine Learning

CNN From Scratch

Python, NumPy

This is a simple implementation of a convolutional neural network (CNN) from scratch using only numpy. The network is trained on the NumtaDB dataset to recognize Bengali numerical digits.


Code
Software Development

ManageCasa

React.js, REST, Django and PostgreSQL

ManageCasa is a comprehensive web-based property management system designed to simplify and streamline the day-to-day operations of property managers and landlords.


Class Diagram ERD UI Design Code
Software Development

Online Marketplace

Django, Oracle DBMS, Bootstrap

Replica of a popular online marketplace, developed with the intention to learn database management as the term project of the course CSE216: Database Sessional, Level-2 Term-2, CSE, BUET


Demo Video ERD Code
Compiler

A Simple Compiler

C++, YACC, Lex, Shell

A simple compiler for the language described in the book "Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools" by Aho, Sethi, and Ullman. It is not a complete compiler, but it does implement symbol table, a lexer, a parser, and a code generator.


Code
Graphics

Ray Tracing

OpenGL, C++

This project is an implementation of realistic image generation of 3D geometric shapes using ray tracing with appropriate illumination techniques. It involves casting rays from a virtual camera, determining shape intersections, calculating lighting contributions, and applying illumination techniques like ambient lighting, diffuse and specular reflection, shadows, and global illumination for achieving realism. Specific algorithms handle ray-surface intersections, enhancing realism through considerations for materials, textures and advanced effects.


Code
Software Development

Picture Puzzle

Django, MySQL

Picture Puzzle is a web-based puzzle game developed for the Computer Science and Engineering Festival (CSE Fest) in 2022. It is designed to be responsive and can be played on desktop and mobile devices.


Code

Skills

User Research Interview, Survey
Research Methods Mixed-method, Experiment, Data Scraping
Scripting LaTeX, Shell Script
Languages C/C++, Python, JavaScript, SQL, Bash, JAVA, HTML, CSS, Intel 8086 Assembly Language
Frameworks Express.js, Django, Reactjs, Vue.js, Three.js, Mongoose, React Native, React.js, Tensorflow
Tools Source Tree, Jira, Git, VS Code, JetBrains Products, Wireshark, Atmel Studio, Logisim, Emu8086, Cisco Packet Tracer, ns-3, Docker, Wireshark, Android Studio, Logisim
Database MongoDB, Oracle, SQLite
API REST, OpenGL, WebGL
Platforms Linux, Windows, Android
Other Skills Communication, Time Management, Detail Oriented, Teamwork, Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Adaptability, Self-Motivation, Self-Learning

Experiences

Enosis Solutions

Software Engineer

Jun 2023 - Jul 2024

Dhaka, Bangladesh

I actively participated in a team environment, contributing to the development of an immersive learning platform. This platform is designed for real-time web-based Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) training, fostering a dynamic 3D collaboration experience during web conferences. My role involved working with the team to ensure the seamless integration of advanced technologies, creating an interactive and engaging environment for effective virtual training and collaborative experiences.

Languages and Frameworks
Vue.js, Three.js, WebGL, Node.js, Express.js, MongoDB, Mongoose, JavaScript, C++

Achievements

  • Champion in Ada Lovelace National Girls Programming Contest, Bangladesh - 2021
    Dec 2021
    Team Name: BUET_A_Team_Has_No_Name
  • Champion in National Girls Programming Contest, Bangladesh - 2021
    Nov 2021
    Team Name: BUET_A_Team_Has_No_Name
  • Champion in National Girls Programming Contest, Bangladesh - 2019
    Nov 2019
    Team Name: BUET_A_Team_Has_No_Name
  • 11th in National High School Programming Contest, Bangladesh - 2015
    National Level

Hobbies

I find peace and joy in expressing my thoughts through art. Here are some of my creations.