1974

UW College of Engineering Department of Humanistic-Social Studies (HSS) Professors James Souther and Myron White extend their teaching of technical writing to include a series of courses for students interested in the profession of Technical Communication (TC). Students who complete the technical writing series can add it as a "minor" to another degree program or could use it as the focus (in effect a "major") for an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree in Engineering or in the General Studies Program of the College of Arts and Sciences.

1975

Dr. Phil Bereano joins the faculty.

1977

Thomas Williams is appointed as a full time lecturer in Technical Communication.

1978

Dr. Mary Coney joins the faculty. Jan Spyridakis is appointed as a full time lecturer in Technical Communication.

1979

By the end of the 1978–1979 academic year, 10 TC "majors" and 32 TC "minors" graduate from the University of Washington.

1983

The College of Engineering dissolves the HSS Department, but retains the seven members of the Technical Communication faculty. They become the nucleus of an Interdisciplinary Program in Scientific and Technical Communication. Professor James Souther becomes the Program's Director. Drs. Judith Ramey and David Farkas join the faculty of the Interdisciplinary Program in Scientific and Technical Communication.

1985

Dr. Mark Haselkorn, former Director of Technical and Professional Writing at Louisiana State University, replaces James Souther as Director of the College of Engineering's Program in Scientific and Technical Communication at the University of Washington.

1986

The Program begins offering courses for an interdisciplinary Master's degree in the College of Engineering, as well as courses for the two Bachelor's degrees.

1987

Dr. Jan Spyridakis continues in the department and is hired in a tenure-track position.

1988

The Program begins offering a year-long evening program, through the University of Washington Extension Program, in which science and engineering professionals can earn a Certificate in Technical Writing and Editing. The certificate program has continued to serve working professionals, even now that full-fledged degree programs have been developed. Dr. Thomas Williams continues in the department and is hired in a tenure-track position.

1989

The Interdisciplinary College Program becomes the full-fledged Department of Technical Communication, offering its own Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. It also continues to teach courses in technical writing to engineering students.

1990

Dr. Michio Tsutsui joins the TC department.

1991

The Department adds a second section to its Certificate in Technical Writing and Editing, now offering the program not only in Seattle but also Bothell, Washington. (This section was later moved to Bellevue, Washington.) Masashi Kato joins the department.

1993

The Department of Technical Communication begins the graduate-level Technical Japanese Program, with Dr. Michio Tsutsui as Program Director.

1997

Dr. Judith Ramey is appointed as Chair of the Department. The TC Minor Program is introduced. The Department begins a partnership with the University of Twente in the Netherlands.

2000

The Department of Technical Communication launches its Evening Master's in Technical Communication program. This new degree program graduated its first class in spring 2002. Dr. Beth Kolko joins the faculty.

2002

The Department of Technical Communication launches its TC Doctoral Program. Dr. Jennifer Turns joins the faculty. Dr. Mary Coney retires from TC.

2003

The Department of Technical Communication further expands its programs for professionals by creating the Graduate Certificate in User-Centered Design in winter 2003.

2004

Donna Sakson, her husband Jonathan Mark, and Sakson & Taylor, Inc. donate $100,000 to set up an endowed scholarship fund to bring in minority students.

2005

TC's Engineering Communication Program wins the Conference of College Composition and Communication Writing Program Certificate of Excellence. Professor Phil Bereano retires from TC in 2005.

2006

Dr. Mark Zachry joins TC faculty as an associate professor.

2007

TC celebrates its first PhD graduate, Carolyn Wei, whose dissertation is titled, "Mobile Hybridity: Supporting Personal and Romantic Relationships with Mobile Phones in Digitally Emergent Spaces." Masashi Kato joins the Technical Japanese Program as a Lecturer.

2008

Dr. Jan Spyridakis is appointed as Department Chair. Four new faculty join TC: three assistant professors: Drs. Sarah Kriz, Charlotte Lee, and Julie Kientz; and Professor Cynthia Atman, Mitchell T. and Lella Blanche Bowie Endowed Chair, CELT and CAEE Director.

2009

The department changes its name from Technical Communication (TC) to Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) and the Department moves its faculty and main offices to the 4th floor of Sieg Hall (now Sieg Building). New HCDE degree titles are approved at the BS, MS, and PhD levels. The department continues to grow—in its student enrollment, in the respect its faculty earns, and in the scope of its influence. Dr. Tom Williams retires from the department.

2010

Dr. Cecilia Aragon joins the faculty of HCDE as an associate professor.

2012

Drs. Sean Munson and Kate Starbird join the faculty as assistant professors. Andrew Davidson joins the department as a senior lecturer. 

2013

Drs. Gary Hsieh and Daniela Rosner join the faculty as assistant professors. Linda Wagner joins the department as a senior lecturer and Director of the Master of Human-Computer Interaction and Design program. Drs. David Farkas and Judy Ramey retire. The department closes its certificate programs in Technical Writing and Editing and Global Technology & Communication Management.

2014

Dr. David W. McDonald joins the HCDE faculty and is appointed as Department Chair. Dr. Elizabeth Sanocki joins HCDE as a senior lecturer. Dr. Julie Kientz is promoted to associate professor.

2015

Dr. David Ribes joins the HCDE faculty as an associate professor. Dr. Brock Craft joins the department as a senior lecturer. Dr. Michio Tsutsui retires from the department and closes the Technical Japanese Program. Dr. David McDonald is promoted to professor.

2016

Dr. Tyler Fox joins the department faculty as a lecturer. Dr. Cecilia Aragon is promoted to professor. Linda Wagner assumes the role of Director of the Global Innovation Exchange (GiX) program.

2017

Dr. Leah Findlater joins the faculty as an assistant professor. Dr. Gary Hsieh is promoted to associate professor. 

2018

Dr. Nadya Peek joins the faculty as an assistant professor. Dr. Dianne Hendricks joins the department as a lecturer and director of the Engineering Communication Program. Dr. Sean Munson is promoted to associate professor. HCDE launches an Alumni Leadership Board to connect the alumni community with the department and one another.

2019

Drs. Leah Findlater, Daniela Rosner, and Kate Starbird are promoted to associate professors. Dr. Julie Kientz is promoted to professor. Kientz assumes the role of Interim Chair, as Dr. David McDonald concludes his five-year term and returns to the faculty. Dr. Kristin Dew and Irini Spyridakis join the faculty as Lecturers. Dr. Jan Spyridakis retires from the department. HCDE finalizes a new five-year strategic plan. 

2020

HCDE celebrates 30 years as a department at the University of Washington, and 10 years with the name Human Centered Design & Engineering. Dr. Julie Kientz assumes the role of Department Chair, effective until April 2025. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, classes are held remotely throughout spring and summer quarters. Dr. Sarah Coppola joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor in September 2020

2021

Dr. Sucheta Ghoshal joins the HCDE faculty as an assistant professor. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, classes and operations are held remotely throughout the 2020-2021 academic year.

2022

Dr. Sayamindu Dasgupta joins HCDE faculty as an assistant professor in January 2022. In Autumn 2022, Alan Marks joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor, and Ana Pinto da Silva joins the faculty as an associate teaching professor and director of the Master of Human Computer Interaction + Design (MHCI+D) program.

2023

Dr. Arpita joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor in January 2023. Associate Teaching Professor Andrew Davidson retires from the faculty at the end of the 2022-2023 academic year. In Autumn 2023, Dr. Katya Cherukumilli joins the faculty as an assistant professor.

2024

Dr. Shana Lee Hirsch joins the faculty as its first research assistant professor in Spring 2024. Cayla Key joins the faculty as an assistant teaching professor in Autumn 2024.