publications

Journal and Conference Articles

2025

1. CROSSNEWS: A Cross-Genre Authorship Verification and Attribution Benchmark

   Marcus Ma, Duong Minh Le, Junmo Kang, and 5 more authors

   Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Apr 2025

2024

1. Time-varying functional connectivity predicts fluctuations in sustained attention in a serial tapping task

   Dolly T Seeburger, Nan Xu, Marcus Ma, and 4 more authors

   Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci, Jan 2024

   Abs

   The mechanisms for how large-scale brain networks contribute to sustained attention are unknown. Attention fluctuates from moment to moment, and this continuous change is consistent with dynamic changes in functional connectivity between brain networks involved in the internal and external allocation of attention. In this study, we investigated how brain network activity varied across different levels of attentional focus (i.e., “zones”). Participants performed a finger-tapping task, and guided by previous research, in-the-zone performance or state was identified by low reaction time variability and out-of-the-zone as the inverse. In-the-zone sessions tended to occur earlier in the session than out-of-the-zone blocks. This is unsurprising given the way attention fluctuates over time. Employing a novel method of time-varying functional connectivity, called the quasi-periodic pattern analysis (i.e., reliable, network-level low-frequency fluctuations), we found that the activity between the default mode network (DMN) and task positive network (TPN) is significantly more anti-correlated during in-the-zone states versus out-of-the-zone states. Furthermore, it is the frontoparietal control network (FPCN) switch that differentiates the two zone states. Activity in the dorsal attention network (DAN) and DMN were desynchronized across both zone states. During out-of-the-zone periods, FPCN synchronized with DMN, while during in-the-zone periods, FPCN switched to synchronized with DAN. In contrast, the ventral attention network (VAN) synchronized more closely with DMN during in-the-zone periods compared with out-of-the-zone periods. These findings demonstrate that time-varying functional connectivity of low frequency fluctuations across different brain networks varies with fluctuations in sustained attention or other processes that change over time.

2. Introducing Bed Word: a new automated speech recognition tool for sociolinguistic interview transcription

   Marcus Ma, Lelia Glass, and James Stanford

   Linguistics Vanguard, Jan 2024

2023

1. It Takes Two to Avoid Pregnancy: Addressing Conflicting Perceptions of Birth Control Pill Responsibility in Romantic Relationships

   Marcus Ma, Chae Hyun Kim, Kaely Hall, and 1 more author

   Proc. ACM Hum.-Comput. Interact., Oct 2023

   Abs

   While birth control pills are one of the most common forms of contraception, their usage has several emotional and physical costs, such as taking the pill daily and experiencing hormonal side effects. The burden of these tasks in relationships generally falls on the pill user with minimal involvement from their partner. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews with pill users and their partners to investigate the differences between their perceived current and ideal divisions of birth control responsibility. During the interview, we presented a collaborative birth control tracking app prototype to examine how such technology can overcome these discrepancies. We found that pill users were unsatisfied with their partners’ engagement in contraceptive tasks but did not communicate this well. Meanwhile, partners wanted to contribute more to pregnancy prevention but did not know how. When presented with our app prototype, users and partners stated that our design could address these issues by improving communication between users and partners. In particular, users appreciated how technology could increase engagement and support from their partner, and partners liked that our app presented several concrete ways to become more involved and show emotional support. However, privacy issues exist given the sensitive nature of contraception. We highlight design considerations that should be kept in mind about privacy while recognizing pill users’ efforts and promoting partners’ involvement.

Conference Presentations

2022

1. NWAV

   BedWord: Computer-generated, human-edited TextGrids for faster sociolinguistic transcription

   Marcus Ma, and Lelia Glass

   2022

   NWAV 50 Conference, Palo Alto, CA
2. CNS

   Identifying the Neural Mechanisms of Zone State Performance using Time-varying Functional Connectivity Methods

   Dolly T. Seeburger, Nan Xu, Marcus Ma, and 4 more authors

   2022

   CNS 2022 Conference, San Francisco, CA