I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Information. Previously, I was in the College of Computing and Informatics at Drexel University. I hold a PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University, and a BS in Informatics from the University of California, Irvine. 

I study the role of digital technologies in shaping our mental health and wellbeing. I am especially interested in the mental health of children, youth, and communities with experiences of marginalization or trauma. I design and deploy technologies to understand how they play a role in everyday social interactions and relationships. My expertise is in designing and evaluating use of mobile apps through community-based approaches, participatory design, and user experience (UX) research.

For my most recent work, please visit my Google Scholar profile.

Interested in working with me?

If you are an undergrad at U of M, I am generally looking for skills in qualitative UX research and design, and strong writing ability. I sometimes have paid part-time positions available on specific projects, or you may be able to do an independent study (SI 491) for credits. I can also advise an LSA Senior Thesis. I am more likely to be able to work with you if you are passionate about engaging with a particular topic, and that topic is very relevant to my own research. If you are connected to a community or social issue I have written about in one of my papers, please tell me.

If you are a Master’s student at U of M, I get many requests especially from talented MSI students looking to fund their degrees. Unfortunately I am not able to respond to all inquiries about this. For a research position (GSRA), what will set you apart is experience working in community-based settings with populations that have experienced marginalization or trauma. For a teaching position (GSI) in SI 422, what will set you apart is real-world experience with UX research (the course does not cover design), so that you can help students in the course apply a variety of research methods and explain how they are used with clients or in product teams.

If you are applying to our PhD program, I receive many emails and unfortunately cannot reply to all of them. You will be more likely to get a response if you articulate what you are interested in studying and how it relates to my research. Please note that my research is heavily community-based and qualitative, so what I look for most is experience with ethnography, participatory design, action research, community-based participatory research, etc. I am also generally looking for exceptional writing skills, which are critical for qualitative research.

Teaching

SI 422: Needs Assessment and Usability Evaluation (Fall and Winter)

SI 672: Applied Clinical Informatics (On hiatus due to Covid-19)

News and Travel

Oct 16-18 | Presented our paper “Would I Feel More Secure With a Robot?”: Understanding Perceptions of Security Robots in Public Spaces at CSCW 2023 in Minneapolis. [pdf]

Sept 20 | Our newly funded R01 UnityPhilly Response App for Overdose Reversal: Assessing Citywide Effectiveness and Sustainability has us back to work redesigning this app and preparing it for deployment across the city of Philadelphia. Here’s the formative research and pilot trial that got us to this stage.

July 12-14 | Presented our Best Paper Award-winning work, Attachment-Informed Design: Digital Interventions That Build Self-Worth, Relationships, and Community in Support of Mental Health at DIS 2023. [pdf]

May 29-June 11 | A packed Nordic trip, with a visit to Aalto University and Communities & Technologies 2023 in Finland, then served as Workshops Chair for ECSCW 2023 in Norway.

April 23-29 | We received an Honorable Mention for our paper Trauma-Informed Social Media: Towards Solutions for Reducing and Healing Online Harm at CHI 2023. [pdf]