ASSISTANT PROFESSOR · HCI RESEARCHER
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.
Program: Computing and Information Sciences
Advisors: Dr. Kristen Shinohara and Dr. Mingming Fan
Program: Biomedical Engineering
Graduated with Distinction - Dean's Honour List
- Worked on the HCI & Visualization Research Group
- Led a mixed-methods research project on integrating generative AI into 3D computer-aided design
- Worked on the Hardware UXR Team
- Designed and conducted user studies on Ray-Ban | Meta smartglasses and Meta Quest 2