Robert Douglas Ferguson PhD

Dr. Robert Douglas Ferguson is an interdisciplinary researcher with training in information studies, human-computer interactions, and social anthropology. His primary research interest is use of personal data and information for care of the self and others. His doctoral research explored youth financial information management and their use of online banking platforms to achieve financial independence. As a member of the Accessible Computing Technologies Research Group at McGill University, Robert led award winning research on the use of ICTs by families of hospice end-of-life patients to provide social interaction and coordinate care. His master’s ethnographic fieldwork on PatientsLikeMe.com investigated ethical concerns around data mining and commercialization of personal health data collected by the site.

As a postdoctoral NeuroInsight Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow, Robert’s research explores incentivisation and use cases for digital devices that automate the collection and sharing of data about dementia caregiving. His fellowship research seeks to better understand existing personal information management practices of dementia caregivers, improve use of personal health data to provide care in home environments, and develop creative solutions that respect the privacy of people with dementia.