Hi, this is

Emily Kuang

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR · HCI RESEARCHER

Photo of Emily Kuang in a grey suit with medium brown hair

I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at York University. I lead the COCOA (CO-Designing COllaborations with AI) Lab, where we explore how to design human-AI collaborative tools to enhance productivity, creativity, and accessibility. We are part of the Graphics and Media at York (GaMaY) Hub.


I address real-world problems by integrating human-centered methodologies, such as interviews, surveys, and large-scale data analysis, with the design, development, and evaluation of novel tools. My research establishes a human-AI collaborative approach that combines AI's computational efficiency with the nuanced interpretation of human expertise. I also lead and collaborate on accessibility projects that promote inclusive computing education and develop assistive technologies for diverse users.


My research has been recognized by the Google PhD Fellowship in HCI (one of eight awarded globally in 2023), the inaugural RIT Outstanding Graduate Student Award (one of two PhD students schoolwide in 2024), a Best Paper Honorable Mention (Top 5% at CHI 2024), and the AWARE-AI NSF Research Traineeship Seed Funding Award (only one in the 2022 cohort). I completed my PhD in Computing and Information Sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology, where I was also a member of the Center for Accessibility and Inclusion Research (CAIR). During my PhD, I interned at Autodesk Research, Meta Reality Labs, and Uncharted Software.


Research

For an updated list of publications, please see COCOA Lab publications.

If you are interested in joining our lab, please read my prospective student page before contacting me.

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  • Education

  • PhD - Rochester Insitute of Technology

    2020 - 2025

    Program: Computing and Information Sciences

    Advisors: Dr. Kristen Shinohara and Dr. Mingming Fan

  • BASc - University of Waterloo

    2015 - 2020

    Program: Biomedical Engineering

    Graduated with Distinction - Dean's Honour List

  • Selected Industry Experience

  • Research Intern - Autodesk Research

    May 2024 - Sept 2024

    - Worked on the HCI & Visualization Research Group

    - Led a mixed-methods research project on integrating generative AI into 3D computer-aided design

  • UX Research Intern - Meta Reality Labs

    May 2022 - Aug 2022 and May 2023 - Aug 2023

    - Worked on the Hardware UXR Team

    - Designed and conducted user studies on Ray-Ban | Meta smartglasses and Meta Quest 2