Staff profile

Dr Mariann (Maz) Hardey, Professor of Business and ComputIng: Leading the Way to Equitable Ai* Futures

Professor Hardey is a leading expert in Human-Ai interaction, digital accessibility, and equity. Her work, including her pivotal role as an Associate Director in the new Leverhulme Centre for Algorithmic Life, and her focus on the theme of 'Being Human,' is driven by a profound vision of technology that serves everyone. Inspired by H.G. Wells’s insights into a future shaped by innovation, she strives to ensure this future is inclusive and universally beneficial. Her research focuses on harnessing the power of technology to empower individuals and communities. From exploring the social implications of AI to advocating for equitable digital practices, her work consistently seeks to create a just and accessible world through technology.

A distinguished figure at Durham University Business School, Professor Hardey is also part of Advanced Research Computing (ARC) at Durham University. Professor Hardey brings a wealth of experience to initiatives aimed at widening participation and promoting accessibility in computing and technology. 

Thought Leadership & Academic Impact Professor Hardey has a strong track record of academic and professional achievement, having presented at numerous international conferences and media events, including the inaugural TEDx event in the UK. Global media and scholarly communities have widely recognised her insightful contributions.

Her books, The Culture of Women in Technology: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman and Household Self-Tracking in a Global Health Crisis, have garnered significant praise from both industry and academia. Notably, The Culture of Women in Technology has been integrated into the Master Class curriculum of the UK Government Digital Service to advance employment reform and inclusivity—a testament to its practical impact.

Professor Hardey's co-authored books further solidify her position at the forefront of discussions on technology and society.

After GAI: Education, Learning & Pedagogy by Samar Aad and Mariann Hardey. This groundbreaking work details the profound implications of generative AI on education and learning, examining how students and educators can utilise AI to support diverse teaching methods, personalise learning experiences, and foster critical thinking skills. This focus is deeply informed by Professor Hardey's use of these technologies to help her neurodiversity and remove the stigma associated with such support, underscoring her commitment to inclusive technological advancements.

Navigating the Web of Disinformation (November 2025) by Wasim Ahmed and Mariann Hardey. This timely book addresses the urgent challenge of misinformation and disinformation in the digital age. It explores social network analysis (SNA) to uncover the spread of information intended to harm, mislead, and deceive, identify malicious actors, and develop strategies to combat these threats to public discourse.

Media Recognition & Pioneering Digital StorytellingProfessor Hardey's work has been widely recognised and featured in leading international media outlets. Her insightful commentary and research have appeared in publications including The Guardian, The Independent, The Huffington Post, and The Observer. She has also been a frequent guest on BBC News and Bloomberg, and her research has been featured on BBC Radio 4's The Today Programme and Laurie Taylor's Thinking Allowed.

In a pioneering moment for digital storytelling, Professor Hardey's award-winning blog, Facebook Etiquette, became the first digital narrative to be presented at the Edinburgh Book Festival.

Academic BackgroundProfessor Hardey holds a PhD in Sociology and a Master's degree in Women's Studies from the University of York, where she was awarded a prestigious 1+3 ESCR scholarship. She remains an active contributor to the research community at the University of York. Her academic foundation began with an undergraduate degree in English Literature from the School of English and American Studies (EAM) at the University of Sussex, a connection she maintains through ongoing collaborations and alumni engagement.

Personal website www.mariannhardey.com

Ai* The deliberate use of a lowercase 'i' in 'Ai' (artificial "intelligence") is a stylistic choice to challenge and invite critical reflection on the inherent assumptions and definitions of 'intelligence' within AI systems. This underscores a key aspect of her research, which critically examines what constitutes 'intelligence' in algorithmic life and advocates for technology that truly serves human values and capabilities, rather than uncritically mimicking them.

• Human-Ai Interaction
• Information Systems
• Ai Education
• Technology Accessibility
• Technology Equity
• Digital Research Infrastructures (DRI)
• Advanced Research Computing (ARC)
• Women HPC

• 2000: IAS Associate Fellow 2022-2025: Mariann is a Fellow at the Durham Institute of Advanced Study. With Rille Raaper, she is the co-PI for their project Risks to Youth and Studenthood in Digital Spaces: Commodification, Transitions and Digital Identities. The research investigates young people's participation in image-rich, real-time digital environments such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok at a key point in transition from youth to adulthood. The project makes use of sophisticated video and image processing technologies. As an IAS Fellow, Mariann represents the University at the highest level internationally through sustained knowledge exchange initiatives with policy and cultural impact.

Authored book

• After Generative AI: Preparing Faculty to Transform Education, Learning, and Pedagogy
  
  Hardey, M., & Aad, S. (in press). After Generative AI: Preparing Faculty to Transform Education, Learning, and Pedagogy. Routledge.
• Household Self-Tracking During a Global Health Crisis
  
  Hardey, M. (2022). Household Self-Tracking During a Global Health Crisis. Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/9781800439146
• The Culture of Women in Tech: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
  
  Hardey, M. (2019). The Culture of Women in Tech: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. Emerald.
• Beginning Theory Digital Communications.
  
  Hardey, M., & Gilroy-Ware, M. (2013). Beginning Theory Digital Communications. SAGE Publications.

Chapter in book

• When YouTubers Launch a Sports Drink: A Social Network Analysis Case Study of the Virality Related to Prime Hydration
  
  Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., & Fenton, A. (in press). When YouTubers Launch a Sports Drink: A Social Network Analysis Case Study of the Virality Related to Prime Hydration. In W. Ahmed (Ed.), Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and Culture. Oxford University Press.
• The Impact of Diversity in Disney's Ms. Marvel: An Analysis of YouTube Comments
  
  Hardey, M., Ahmed, W., Fenton, A., Khan, I., Sahadev, S., & Rashid, T. (in press). The Impact of Diversity in Disney’s Ms. Marvel: An Analysis of YouTube Comments. In W. Ahmed (Ed.), Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and Culture. Oxford University Press.
• Esports Interaction and Influencer Impact: Insights from the League of Legends World Championship
  
  Elareshi, M., Ahmed, W., Das, R., Hardey, M., Fenton, A., Chadwick, S., Ziani, A., & Alaawad, H. (2025). Esports Interaction and Influencer Impact: Insights from the League of Legends World Championship. In R. K. Hamdan (Ed.), Studies in Systems, Decision and Control (pp. 291-300). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-84636-6_24
• Wellsian Doubles: Digital Space as Modern Utopia
  
  James, S. J., & Hardey, M. (2024). Wellsian Doubles: Digital Space as Modern Utopia. In L. López-Ropero (Ed.), H. G. Wells: Contemporary Perspectives (pp. 111-126). Editiones Univenidad. Salamanca.
• Social Network Analysis in an Age of Digital Information
  
  Hardey, M. (2018). Social Network Analysis in an Age of Digital Information. In R. Alhajj & J. Rokne (Eds.), Encyclopedia of social network analysis and mining. (pp. 2671-2677). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7131-2_403
• Theorizing and Researching Gender and Digital Leadership in “Tech Cities”
  
  Hardey, M. (2017). Theorizing and Researching Gender and Digital Leadership in “Tech Cities”. In C. M. Cunningham, H. M. Crandall, & A. M. Dare (Eds.), Gender, communication, and the leadership gap. (pp. 291-310). Information Age Publishing.
• Social Cartography and ‘Knowing Capitalism’: Critical Reflections on Social Research and the Geo-­Spatial Web
  
  Smith, H., Hardey, M., Hardey, M., & Burrows, R. (2016). Social Cartography and ‘Knowing Capitalism’: Critical Reflections on Social Research and the Geo-­Spatial Web. In N. G. Fielding, R. M. Lee, & G. Blank (Eds.), The Sage handbook of online research methods. (pp. 596-610). SAGE Publications.
• Marketing Narratives: Researching Digital Data, Design and the In/Visible Consumer.
  
  Hardey, M. (2014). Marketing Narratives: Researching Digital Data, Design and the In/Visible Consumer. In M. Hand & S. Hillyard (Eds.), Big Data?: Qualitative Approaches to Digital Research (13th ed., pp. 115-135). Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/s1042-319220140000013008
• Online surveys: Investigating social media use and online risk
  
  Branley, D., Covey, J., & Hardey, M. (2014). Online surveys: Investigating social media use and online risk. In SAGE Research Methods Cases. Sage Publications Ltd. https://doi.org/10.4135/978144627305013514666
• ICTs and Generations – Constantly Connected Social Lives
  
  Hardey, M. (2011). ICTs and Generations – Constantly Connected Social Lives. In F. Colombo & L. Fortunati (Eds.), Broadband society and generational changes. (pp. 97-109). Peter Lang.
• Ubiquitous Connectivity: User-Generated Data and the Role of the Researcher
  
  Hardey, M. (2011). Ubiquitous Connectivity: User-Generated Data and the Role of the Researcher. In S. Hesse-Biber (Ed.), The handbook of emergent technologies in social research. (pp. 111-132). Oxford University Press.
• How Rules of Acceptable Behaviour Enlighten our Digital Interactions – The Formation of Facebook Etiquette.
  
  Hardey, M. (2011). How Rules of Acceptable Behaviour Enlighten our Digital Interactions – The Formation of Facebook Etiquette. In Psychology of Facebook.. Persuasive Technology Lab, Stanford University.

Conference Paper

• Exploring SMEs attitudes to Net Zero & social media: Action Case research as a force for good
  
  Fenton, A., Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., & Koral, C. (in press). Exploring SMEs attitudes to Net Zero & social media: Action Case research as a force for good. Presented at British Academy of Management Conference 2022, Manchester, England.
• Digital Inclusion in Nothern England: Training Women from Underrepresented Communities in Tech: A Data Analytics Case Study
  
  Aduragba, O. T., Yu, J., Cristea, A. I., Hardey, M., & Black, S. (2020). Digital Inclusion in Nothern England: Training Women from Underrepresented Communities in Tech: A Data Analytics Case Study. In 2020 15th International Conference on Computer Science & Education (ICCSE) (pp. 162-168). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. https://doi.org/10.1109/iccse49874.2020.9201693

Journal Article

• Credibility and influence in health messaging: Examining medical professionals’ role on X in promoting N95 respirators during COVID-19
  
  Ahmed, W., Khan, M. L., Malik, A., Krishnan, S., Hardey, M., Katz, M. S., & Elareshi, M. (2025). Credibility and influence in health messaging: Examining medical professionals’ role on X in promoting N95 respirators during COVID-19. Information, Communication and Society. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2025.2504605
• Health Information Communication and Advocacy in the Haemophilia Community: An X-Based Analysis
  
  Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., & Yavetz, G. (2025). Health Information Communication and Advocacy in the Haemophilia Community: An X-Based Analysis. Journal of Documentation. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1108/jd-09-2024-0224
• Generative AI: Hopes, Controversies, and the Future of Faculty Roles in Education
  
  Aad, S., & Hardey, M. (2025). Generative AI: Hopes, Controversies, and the Future of Faculty Roles in Education. Quality Assurance in Education, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1108/QAE-02-2024-0043
• Organ Donation Conversations on X and Development of the OrgReach Social Media Marketing Strategy: Social Network Analysis.
  
  Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., & Vidal-Alaball, J. (2025). Organ Donation Conversations on X and Development of the OrgReach Social Media Marketing Strategy: Social Network Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 27, Article e59872. https://doi.org/10.2196/59872
• Development of a novel methodology for ascertaining scientific opinion and extent of agreement
  
  Vickers, P., Adamo, L., Alfano, M., Clark, C., Cresto, E., Cui, H., Dang, H., Dellsén, F., Dupin, N., Gradowski, L., Graf, S., Guevara, A., Hallap, M., Hamilton, J., Hardey, M., Helm, P., Landrum, A., Levy, N., Machery, E., … Mitchell Finnigan, S. (2024). Development of a novel methodology for ascertaining scientific opinion and extent of agreement. PLOS ONE, 19(12), Article e0313541. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313541
• How does cultural upbringing influence how university students in the Middle East utilize ChatGPT technology?
  
  Aad, S., Dagher, G. K., & Hardey, M. (2024). How does cultural upbringing influence how university students in the Middle East utilize ChatGPT technology?. Administrative Sciences, 14(12), Article 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/admsci14120330
• Negotiating authenticity: experiences of student influencers on social media
  
  Raaper, R., Hardey, M., Tiidenberg, K., & Aad, S. (2024). Negotiating authenticity: experiences of student influencers on social media. Journal of Youth Studies. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2024.2419085
• Racial Biases Associated with Pulse Oximetry: Longitudinal Social Network Analysis of Social Media Advocacy Impact
  
  Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., Winters, B. D., & Sarwal, A. (2024). Racial Biases Associated with Pulse Oximetry: Longitudinal Social Network Analysis of Social Media Advocacy Impact. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, Article e56034. https://doi.org/10.2196/preprints.56034
• Towards the development of an explainable e-commerce fake review index: An attribute analytics approach
  
  Das, R., Ahmed, W., Sharma, K., Hardey, M., Dwivedi, Y., Apostolidis, C., Zhang, Z., & Filieri, R. (2024). Towards the development of an explainable e-commerce fake review index: An attribute analytics approach. European Journal of Operational Research, 317(2), 382-400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2024.03.008
• #Studytalk in marketised higher education: Student influencers as emerging support providers
  
  Raaper, R., Hardey, M., & Aad, S. (2024). #Studytalk in marketised higher education: Student influencers as emerging support providers. Studies in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2385614
• The Influence of Joe Wicks on Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Thematic, Location, and Social Network Analysis of X Data
  
  Ahmed, W., Aiyenitaju, O., Chadwick, S., Hardey, M., & Fenton, A. (2024). The Influence of Joe Wicks on Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Thematic, Location, and Social Network Analysis of X Data. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, Article e49921. https://doi.org/10.2196/49921
• Women’s Football Subculture of Misogyny: The Escalation to Online Gender-Based Violence
  
  Fenton, A., Ahmed, W., Hardey, M. (Maz), Boardman, R., & Kavanagh, E. (2024). Women’s Football Subculture of Misogyny: The Escalation to Online Gender-Based Violence. European Sport Management Quarterly, 24(6), 1215-1237. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2023.2270566
• Developing Techniques to Support Technological Solutions to Disinformation by Analysing Four Conspiracy Networks During COVID-19
  
  Ahmed, W., Önkal, D., Das, R., Krishnan, S., Olan, F., Hardey, M., & Fenton, A. (2023). Developing Techniques to Support Technological Solutions to Disinformation by Analysing Four Conspiracy Networks During COVID-19. Transactions on Engineering Management, 71, 13327-13344. https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2023.3273191
• Enlightened Participation: SME Perspectives about Net Zero on Social Media using the Action Case Approach
  
  Hardey, M., Ahmed, W., Fenton, A., & Koral, C. (2023). Enlightened Participation: SME Perspectives about Net Zero on Social Media using the Action Case Approach. IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/22779752231166521
• Analysing Twitter’s Role in Combating the Magnetic Vaccine Conspiracy Theory Using Social Network Analysis
  
  Ahmed, W., Das, R., Vidal-Alaball, J., Hardey, M. (Maz), & Fuster-Casanovas, A. (2023). Analysing Twitter’s Role in Combating the Magnetic Vaccine Conspiracy Theory Using Social Network Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, Article e43497. https://doi.org/10.2196/43497
• Football Fandom as a Platform for Digital Health Promotion and Behaviour Change: A Mobile App Case Study
  
  Fenton, A., Cooper-Ryan, A. M., Hardey, M. (Maz), & Ahmed, W. (2022). Football Fandom as a Platform for Digital Health Promotion and Behaviour Change: A Mobile App Case Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(14), Article 8417. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19148417
• Binge Watching and the Role of Social Media Virality towards promoting Netflix’s Squid Game
  
  Ahmed, W., Fenton, A., Hardey, M., & Das, R. (2022). Binge Watching and the Role of Social Media Virality towards promoting Netflix’s Squid Game. IIM Kozhikode Society And Management Review, 11(2), 222-234. https://doi.org/10.1177/22779752221083351
• Tracking the Trackers: Self-Tracking in Households as Social Practice
  
  Hardey, M. (2022). Tracking the Trackers: Self-Tracking in Households as Social Practice. Digital Health, 8, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076221093131
• Digital Seriality and Narrative Branching: Season One, the Podcast Serial
  
  Hardey, M., & James, S. J. (2022). Digital Seriality and Narrative Branching: Season One, the Podcast Serial. Communication and Critical Cultural Studies, 19(1), 74-90. https://doi.org/10.1080/14791420.2022.2029513
• Gender and technology culture: Points of contact in tech cities
  
  Hardey, M. (2020). Gender and technology culture: Points of contact in tech cities. Sociological Research Online, 25(1), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780419851137
• Social innovation and the university: the impact of intervention for the micro creative economy in North East England
  
  Cockshut, L., Brown, A., & Hardey, M. (2020). Social innovation and the university: the impact of intervention for the micro creative economy in North East England. Social Enterprise Journal, 16(2), 203-220. https://doi.org/10.1108/sej-03-2019-0017
• ‘It’s all about the packaging’: investigation of the motivations, intentions, and marketing implications of sharing photographs of secondary packaging on Instagram
  
  Ilich, K., & Hardey, M. (2020). ‘It’s all about the packaging’: investigation of the motivations, intentions, and marketing implications of sharing photographs of secondary packaging on Instagram. Information, Communication and Society, 23(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118x.2018.1478983
• On the Body of the Consumer: Performance-Seeking with Wearables and Health and Fitness Apps
  
  Hardey, M. (2019). On the Body of the Consumer: Performance-Seeking with Wearables and Health and Fitness Apps. Sociology of Health & Illness, 41(6), 991-1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.12879
• Securing the future of research computing in the biosciences
  
  Leng, J., Shoura, M., McLeish, T., Real, A., Hardey, M., McCafferty, J., Ranson, N., & Harris, S. (2019). Securing the future of research computing in the biosciences. PLoS Computational Biology, 15(5), Article e1006958. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006958
• Women’s Leadership and Gendered Experiences in Tech Cities
  
  Hardey, M. (2019). Women’s Leadership and Gendered Experiences in Tech Cities. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 34(3), 188-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/gm-05-2018-0048
• Disconnected: Non-users of Information Communication Technologies
  
  Hardey, M., & Atkinson, R. (2018). Disconnected: Non-users of Information Communication Technologies. Sociological Research Online, 23(3), 553-571. https://doi.org/10.1177/1360780418764736
• Special Issue Editorial: Re-asserting the social media contribution to the theory and practice of market research.
  
  Hardey, M. (2013). Special Issue Editorial: Re-asserting the social media contribution to the theory and practice of market research. International Journal of Market Research, 55(6), 751-754.
• New visions: Capturing digital data and market research.
  
  Hardey, M. (2012). New visions: Capturing digital data and market research. International Journal of Market Research, 54(2), 159-161.
• To spin straw into gold? New lessons from consumer-generated content
  
  Hardey, M. (2011). To spin straw into gold? New lessons from consumer-generated content. International Journal of Market Research, 53(1), 13-15. https://doi.org/10.2501/ijmr-53-1-013-015
• Generation C: Content Creation, Connections and Choice
  
  Hardey, M. (2011). Generation C: Content Creation, Connections and Choice. Journal of the Market Research Society., 53(6), 749-770. https://doi.org/10.2501/ijmr-53-6-749-770
• Nip, Tuck and Click: Medical tourism and the emergence of web-based health information
  
  Lunt, N., Hardey, M., & Mannion, R. (2010). Nip, Tuck and Click: Medical tourism and the emergence of web-based health information. Open Medical Informatics Journal, 4, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874431101004010001
• Key Trends: The Social Context of Online Market Research: An Introduction to the Sociability of Social Media.
  
  Hardey, M. (2010). Key Trends: The Social Context of Online Market Research: An Introduction to the Sociability of Social Media. Journal of the Market Research Society., 51(4), 562-564.
• Inspiring Future Organ Donors: A Literature Review of Positive Messaging and Developing the Case for Mighty Organs
  
  Ahmed, W., Hardey, M., Randhawa, G., Yates, L., Siddiqui, Z. K., Makita, M., Fagbola, T. M., & Vidal-Alaball, J. (n.d.). Inspiring Future Organ Donors: A Literature Review of Positive Messaging and Developing the Case for Mighty Organs. JMIR Public Health and Surveillance [Submitted].
• Nip, Tuck and Click: Medical tourism and the emergence of web-based health information.
  
  Lunt, N., Hardey, M., & Mannion, R. (n.d.). Nip, Tuck and Click: Medical tourism and the emergence of web-based health information. IMIA Yearbook of Medical Informatics, 145-145.

Report

• Durham Digitale pilot project 2020-2021: Pilot project evaluation findings
  
  Cockshut, L., Hardey, M., & Toal, A. (2021). Durham Digitale pilot project 2020-2021: Pilot project evaluation findings. Creative Fuse, North East.
• The UK’s Instagram Changing Economy & Cultural Landscape: The Sharp Rise In Professional Instagram users As Share Of Images; Affiliation And Other Revenues Continue To Grow
  
  Hardey, M. (2015). The UK’s Instagram Changing Economy & Cultural Landscape: The Sharp Rise In Professional Instagram users As Share Of Images; Affiliation And Other Revenues Continue To Grow.
• Gender in Tech City - Phase 1.i
  
  Hardey, M. (2015). Gender in Tech City - Phase 1.i.