Hello! I'm Maria

I am a PhD student in Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Notre Dame , where I am advised by Dr. Tim Weninger.

My research explores conflict in autonomous multi-agent systems, including thing with directly and indirectly competing goals, cooperation, and deception. I use digital terrariums such as Sugarscape and Among Us to study how these dynamics emerge, mirror human societies, and inform the safety and alignment of autonomous agent interaction.

At a higher level, I am interested in what happens when intelligence becomes social: how motivation, communication, and conflict emerge when agents interact at scale, and what those dynamics tell us about how embeded intelligence should be built and governed. My work sits at the intersection of AI safety, computational social science, and communication theory, with an emphasis on building safe and ethical systems.

Before this, I completed my B.S. in Computer Science at Seattle University in 2024, where I worked with Dr. Nate Kremer-Herman

Outside the lab, you can find me staying active through lifting, running, swimming, and yoga. I also design, knit, and sew clothing as creative outlets. Lately, I have been spending time learning sociology and Spanish, mostly out of curiosity and a love of trying new things and sharing experiences with others.