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News

Thu, 07/16/2020

Charlotte Lee and David Ribes receive NSF award to study research collaboration across the sciences

Scientific research increasingly relies on collaboration across many different areas of expertise. Challenges arise for scientists when they need to do convergent research that requires translation and use of diverse expertise, tools, and analytic techniques. HCDE Professors Charlotte Lee and David Ribes have received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study how scientists collaborate across different fields and areas of expertise.

Mon, 07/13/2020

Charlotte Lee receives NSF award to study remote work during coronavirus pandemic

In the wake of COVID-19 outbreaks, organizations large and small made a sudden shift to remote working to support social distancing. HCDE Associate Professor Charlotte Lee has received a rapid research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation to study how organizations and individuals are adapting to remote work, and to develop guidance about how to support such shifts in the future.

Mon, 07/13/2020

Julie Kientz, Sean Munson, and collaborators studying family life and technology during the coronavirus pandemic

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, American families are urgently adapting to new ways of working, managing child and elder care, and facilitating remote learning experiences. HCDE Professors Julie Kientz and Sean Munson, together with the iSchool's Jason Yip and Alexis Hiniker, have received a rapid-response research grant from the NSF to study the pandemic’s effect on family life and the role of technology.

Mon, 07/13/2020

Kate Starbird and collaborators studying misinformation during the coronavirus pandemic

HCDE Associate Professor Kate Starbird and her collaborators with the UW’s Center for an Informed Public received a rapid-response research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation to study how scientific knowledge, expertise, data, and communication affect the spread and correction of online misinformation about an emerging pandemic.

Mon, 07/13/2020

Scott Miles and collaborators are researching community impact of coronavirus pandemic on Seattle region

HCDE Research Scientist Dr. Scott Miles is on an interdisciplinary team of researchers awarded a one-year Rapid-Response Research (RAPID) grant from the National Science Foundation to study the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Seattle region.

Wed, 07/08/2020

Sonia Savelli studying risk communication and decision making during coronavirus pandemic

HCDE Research Scientist Dr. Sonia Savelli has received an NSF rapid-response grant to study how people make decisions based on complex risk information, and how communication about risk can help people make more informed decisions.

Tue, 07/07/2020

Kate Starbird interviewed by The Seattle Times about misinformation during coronavirus pandemic

HCDE Associate Professor Kate Starbird was interviewed by Seattle Times about the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic and leading up to the 2020 election.

Fri, 06/26/2020

Shana Hirsch is appointed Associate Director of the UW Pacific Marine Energy Center

Dr. Shana Lee Hirsch, a postdoctoral research scientist in HCDE, will work with PMEC to understand and facilitate university-industry collaboration in the marine energy industry in the US.

Wed, 06/24/2020

The State of K–12 HCDE Outreach in the Design Charrette Program

K-12 Outreach in HCDE is constantly evolving, and our department’s efforts in this area have been expanding. In order to understand how our program has changed over the years, let’s take a look back at its journey to date.

Tue, 06/23/2020

Elin Björling and Project EMAR receive CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund

Dr. Elin Björling, senior research scientist and lecturer in HCDE, has received an Innovation Gap Fund grant from CoMotion and the Population Health Initiative. The one-year, $50,000 award will support Björling and Maya Cakmak, assistant professor in the Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering, to develop a robust prototype for their Project EMAR social robot project to enable school implementation studies in the fall.

Fri, 06/19/2020

Graduation Address to the class of 2020 by Phil Spencer, EVP of Gaming at Microsoft

Department alumnus Phil Spencer delivered the Graduation Address at the HCDE 2020 Graduation & Awards Ceremony. Spencer spoke about the power of technology to bring people together, and the critical role today's graduates will play in designing a more just future.

Wed, 06/17/2020

Nadya Peek named to MIT Technology Review list of Innovators Under 35

Nadya Peek, an assistant professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering, is one of 35 innovators recognized in the annual MIT Technology Review "35 Innovators Under 35."

Tue, 06/16/2020

Welcoming Sarah Coppola to the HCDE faculty

Dr. Sarah Coppola is joining the HCDE faculty as an Assistant Teaching Professor in September 2020. Coppola comes to HCDE from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she is a postdoctoral fellow in Human Factors Engineering.

Thu, 06/11/2020

HCDE Ask Me Anything with Tamara Adlin on salaries, negotiation, and asking for the right title

HCDE welcomed alumna Tamara Adlin, President of Adlin, Inc, for a hybrid "AMA" + words of wisdom on job salaries, negotiation, and titles. Tamara is a C-level strategy and user experience consultant to startups and companies that want to behave more like startups.

Wed, 06/10/2020

HCDE 2020 Capstone Showcase

HCDE held a virtual Capstone Showcase on Monday, June 8, where graduating master's and undergraduate students presented their final capstone projects to the community. View all 2020 capstone projects here.

Wed, 06/10/2020

A message from HCDE Professor & Chair Julie Kientz

Today HCDE participated in the #ShutDownAcademia / #ShutDownSTEM strikes in support of racial justice. Using the time to reflect on our practices and goals, the HCDE faculty generated a list of both long-term and short-term actions we are taking in support of becoming an anti-racist community. Read a message from HCDE Professor & Chair Julie Kientz.

Tue, 06/09/2020

HCDE 2020 Awards of Excellence

HCDE is proud to present the recipients of our 2020 Student Awards of Excellence. The HCDE faculty annually recognize outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of academics, leadership, and innovation. 

Mon, 06/08/2020

HCDE students receive fellowship to improve virtual communication between students and employers

HCDE Master's students Jazz Ang, Ana Liu, and Della Sigrest received a fellowship from Jumpstart, a recruiting platform for students and companies in tech, to reimagine communication between students and employers in the time of online meetings.

Fri, 05/29/2020

Emerita Professor Jan Spyridakis receives 2020 Mikey Award from HCDE

Emerita Professor Jan Spyridakis is receiving the department's 2020 Myron L. White Award. Better known as "The Mikey," named after the co-founder of the department, it is presented annually by the faculty to a leader in the field and a dedicated friend of the department. The award will be presented at the HCDE Graduation & Awards Ceremony on June 9, 2020.

Fri, 05/29/2020

Phil Spencer to deliver 2020 HCDE Graduation Address

HCDE announces that Phil Spencer, Executive Vice President of Gaming at Microsoft and department alumnus, will deliver the guest commencement address at the HCDE Graduation & Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, June 9, 2020.

Wed, 05/27/2020

Professor Julie Kientz publishes new book on Interactive Technologies and Autism

Interactive Technologies and Autism, Second Edition, a new book by HCDE Professor and Chair Julie Kientz, is out now from Morgan & Claypool Publishers. The book provides a comprehensive background for understanding what work has already been completed and its impact, as well as what promises and challenges lie ahead for designers, researchers, autistic people, and their advocates.

Thu, 05/21/2020

HCDE hosts Democracy Design Jam to explore civic engagement during the pandemic

During a time of physical-distancing, what can we do to promote meaningful and productive civic engagement? This was the inquiry at the heart of HCDE's Democracy Design Jam, held May 16-17, 2020. View videos of the plenary session with industry experts and elected leaders, and discover the future civic engagement opportunities prototyped by HCDE students.

Tue, 05/19/2020

HCDE 'Ask me Anything' with alumna and affiliate faculty member Rebecca Destello

Video: Human Centered Design & Engineering alumna Rebecca Destello discusses mentorship, getting involved with professional organizations, and tips for networking outside of your comfort zone.

Fri, 05/15/2020

PhD student Taryn Bipat named Outstanding Research Mentor

Taryn Bipat, a PhD student in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering, received the Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award, announced UW Provost Mark Richards at the 2020 Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Wed, 05/13/2020

PhD student Dawn Sakaguchi Tang publishes guide about designing for aging populations

HCDE PhD student Dawn Sakaguchi-Tang, together with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, has published "The Essential Guide to Older Adult-Centered Design" for designers, researchers, and developers interested in developing health information management technologies for an aging population: