Sonia Tiwari

Dr. Sonia Tiwari is a Children's Media Researcher based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her current research explores the impact of AI characters such as animated chatbots, social robots, and smart speakers on children's learning experiences. With an MFA in Animation, Game Design industry experience as a Character Designer, and a PhD in Learning, Design, and Technology - Sonia brings interdisciplinary perspectives to her research from the fields of Visual Design, Learning Sciences, and Human-Computer Interaction. Her most recent contributions to this field are proposing a Ratings system for child-facing AI products and services, developing an ethical AI character design framework, and a multivariate anova model for assessing the impact of AI character interactions on children's specific learning goals.  

"I want to generate practical research insights to inform the design of children's media that positively impacts children's creativity and problem-solving skills."

Sonia Tiwari is a part of the Falling Walls Female Science Talents Intensive Track 2025.