I am a PhD candidate in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech. I work in the Center for Human-Computer Interaction under the supervision of Prof. Steve Harrison. I also collaborate with Dr. Carman Neustaedter at Simon Fraser University.
My PhD research focuses on examining implications of domestic media spaces on communication, connectedness and awareness between families separated by distance. My other research interest are in design and design methodologies, computer mediated communication, remote collaboration, and computer supported collaborative work. I am involved in an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Rex Hartson and Dr. Pardha Pyla to research a methodology to aid designers in making the transition between contextual analysis to the design of a new system.
I have a Masters degree in Computer Science from Virginia Tech and Bachelors degree in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the last few years, I have had the opportunity to do research internships at IBM Almaden, Kodak Research Labs, and University of Washington. I also worked as a Usability Engineer at Meridium.
November 2011: I will be moderating a GHC 2011 panel about regaining and maintaining confidence. Panelists include Laurian Vega (Next Century), Erika Poole (Penn State University), Robin Jeffries (Google), and Jamika Burge (Information Systems Worldwide). I will also be a speaker in a panel organized by Uma Murthy about planning and conducting user studies with remote participants.
May 2011: Passed my PhD research defense! Woot! Will be doing my final defense early fall 2011.
May 2011: Panel called “Betting on Yourself: Regaining and Maintaining Confidence as a Woman in Computing” accepted at GHC 2011.
May 2011: Presented full paper on the design and evaluation of a multifamily media space at CHI 2011.
December 2010: Two papers accepted at CHI 2011 – multifamily media space (topic of my PhD research) and a case study on agile usability (in collaboration with Jason Chong Lee at Meridium).
November 2010: I will be an AC for CHI 2011 Work in Progress.
October 2010: I am scheduled to give a few talks in the Bay Area. Contact me for more information if you would like to attend my talks at IBM Almaden, FXPAL, PARC, Google, or Stanford.
September 2010: I started my fall internship at IBM Almaden Research Center. I will be working with Dr. Stephen Whittaker and Dr. Tara Matthews. Sunny California, here I come!
August 2010: I will be co-organizing a workshop called “Connecting Families: New Technologies, Family Communication, and the Impact on Domestic Space” at GROUP 2010. Check out the workshop website for more details.
Nov 2011
GHC 2011 in Portland, Oregon.
May 2011
CHI 2011 in Vancouver, BC.
November 2010
GROUP 2010 in Sanibel Island, FL.
April 2010
CHI 2010 in Atlanta, GA.
February 2010
CSCW 2010 in Savannah, GA.