I’m a 3rd-year PhD candidate in Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington, advised by Mark Zachry, PhD. My research investigates the evolving relationship between AI and design, with a focus on how we can create more human-centered AI solutions through purposeful design practices. I explore this intersection through (1) understanding and expanding the design’s critical role in early-stages of AI development and (2) developing a design toolkit to support such process, leveraging mixed methods (i.e., experimental and qualitative) and design research approaches. My work engages with broader questions related to design for/with AI, value sensitive design, and materiality.

Previously, I led user research studies on AR interfaces and interactions, including how AR headsets, screen-based avatars, and filters shape mediated interactions and experiences.

I have a B.S. in Human Factors Psychology from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. There, I worked closely with Barbara S. Chaparro, PhD in the RUX Lab to conduct experiments on UX and usability of AR interaction methods. Sponsored by a Top Fortune 10 tech company, I worked on a team to evaluate perceived comfort with smart product materials and validate a toolkit for assessing product design impressions.

Actively seeking collaboration and internship opportunities. Please reach out to discuss how we might work together 🖤

↓ Projects

Human-AI Interaction and Human-Centered AI

↗ Envisioning AI-infiltrated values of design practice (ongoing)
↗ Impacts of AI on human designers (in submission)
↗ Envisioning the future of AI-powered design work

HCI and AR-Enhanced Experiences

↗ Avatars in video-mediated collaborative interactions (arXiv v.1)
↗ Motivations for avatar-mediated meetings (MAMM) scale
↗ AR filters use among young adults (preprint)
↗ UX of a multi-window AR environment
↗ Effects of background noise on AR/MR voice dictation
↗ Effects of AR/MR on video game satisfaction

Design, UX, and A11Y

↗ Authenticity in advanced UX education
↗ Characterizing user-driven captioning practices on TikTok
↗ Validation of the GUESS-18 for video game players with disabilities

Recent News

04/2025, passed my general exam - now a Ph.D. candidate!
03/2024, received an M.S. in HCDE (concurrent with Ph.D.)
11/2023, presented and passed my preliminary exam
10/2022, presented 2 posters at the 66th HFES annual conference
09/2022, started my Ph.D. in HCDE at the University of Washington

↓ Check out my amazing friends below

(inspired by Keri Mallari)

↗ Donghoon Shin
↗ Aayushi Dangol
↗ Soobin Cho