We are pleased to announce that Mariam Farda-Sarbas, a researcher in our Human-Centered Computing research group, has successfully defended her Ph.D. thesis.

Mariam's dissertation, entitled "Exploring Diversity in Wikidata: A Path to Global Knowledge Accessibility," explores the core principles and challenges of Wikidata. As the largest open knowledge database, Wikidata, founded in 2012 as a project of the Wikimedia Foundation, has revolutionized the accessibility and usability of structured data. Mariam's research focuses on the aspect of diversity within the Wikidata framework, which plays a critical role in realizing its overarching goal of serving individuals worldwide.

During her research, Mariam introduces a conceptual framework for measuring diversity within Wikidata and provides insights into its current state. She sheds light on the impact of bot edits, given that bots are the most active contributors to the platform. Mariam's findings reveal the complex relationship between diversity and bot activity, with significant implications for maintaining and improving Wikidata's inclusivity.

We sincerely thank the committee members, Prof. Bettina Berendt (TU Berlin), Prof. Lutz Prechelt (FU Berlin), and Dr. Daniel Franzen, for their valuable participation in the defense.

The successful defense of Mariam Farda-Sarbas' Ph.D. thesis is a milestone in her career. We congratulate Mariam on this achievement and wish her continued success in her future endeavors.