Efthymia Smixioti
Research Assistant
I believe in communities where everyone belongs - A personal story from a research assistant in DigAble
What drives me isn’t technology itself, or even the data we collect, though both are essential. What truly motivates me is something deeper: my belief in communities built on solidarity, where dignity and justice are more than ideals. That’s what I want to contribute to and that’s why I do this work.
As a research assistant in the DigAble project, I help investigate how media interventions can support neurodivergent youth. Our focus is on digital skills, but not as an isolated goal. We see them as a gateway to broader civic and social participation.
Together with the team, I’m working on a systematic research synthesis. We’re mapping out which elements in practice actually work: the interventions that help young people not just to navigate digital spaces, but to participate in them on their own terms. The ultimate aim is to create clear, evidence-informed guidelines for future programs.
For me, this work is more than a task. It’s a way to help build something better. Not just for individuals, but for the communities we all live in. Research, when done with care and intention, can help shift systems. It can support more just, inclusive ways of living together. I believe in that. And I’m proud to play a small part in making it real.
Efthymia Smixioti
