Advancing equity and inclusion in design education, HCI, and emerging technologies.
My research explores how design can foster more equitable, inclusive, and meaningful experiences through education, technology, and community engagement. Working at the intersection of equity-centered design, human-computer interaction, accessibility, and UX education, I investigate how design methods and emerging technologies can better support diverse users and learning environments.
My scholarship combines qualitative, mixed-methods, and design-based research to examine inclusive design practices, design pedagogy, AI-assisted design, accessibility, and community-centered experiences. Through collaborations with educators, students, practitioners, and communities, I aim to develop evidence-based approaches that advance both design education and professional practice.
Research
Research Interests
Equity-Centered Design
Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
UX Education
Accessibility
Inclusive Design
Design Pedagogy
AI in Design Education
Community-Engaged Design
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings
7th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE) & the Affiliated Conference –Jul. 2026
Designing for Equity: Extending the Equitable Design Toolkit (EDT) Beyond Digital Practice. AHFE International
https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1008028
CHI Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction Education (EduCHI) –May. 2026
Teaching equity and accessibility with the Equitable Design Toolkit. ACM.
https://doi.org/10.1145/3803869.3803882
Human Computer Interaction International (HCII) –Jul. 2025
Empowering Inclusive UX Design Through the Equitable Design Toolkit. HCI International 2025 Posters. Communications in Computer and Information Science (Vol. 2524). Springer.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94156-6_14
Theses And Dissertations
Doctoral Dissertation, Human Computer Interaction–Dec. 2025
Integrating the Equitable Design Toolkit into User Experience (UX) and Design Education.
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/bitstreams/d0ab24a7-9015-48e3-ba5d-76597d820c33/download
MFA Thesis, Graphic Design–Dec. 2019
Impact: Identity, Belonging, and Migration.
https://dr.lib.iastate.edu/bitstreams/ea0a16ac-ad19-4892-9479-ccc999891e5f/download
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
[Forthcoming] Tolerance, International Conference on Design Principles & Practices–Mar. 2027
Designed Participation: Rethinking Critique for Equitable Studio Learning, TU Dublin School of Art and Design, Dublin, Ireland. Co-author: Mira Jung
[Forthcoming] Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC)–Oct. 2026
Teaching Accessibility Beyond Compliance: An Embodied Approach to Cultivating Empathy in Graphic Design, Winston-Salem, NC.
International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE)–Jul. 2026
Designing for Equity: Extending the Equitable Design Toolkit (EDT) Beyond Digital Practice, Fenerbahçe University, Istanbul, Türkiye.
CHI Symposium on Human-Computer Interaction Education (EduCHI)–May. 2026
Teaching equity and accessibility with the Equitable Design Toolkit, University of Toronto, Canada
Horizon, UCDA Design Education Summit –May. 2026
AI is Changing UX: Are We Teaching It?, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.
Co-authors: Mira Jung & Aaron Yang
Horizon, UCDA Design Education Summit–May. 2026
Reimagining Design Critique as an Inclusive Learning Practice, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV.
Co-author: Mira Jung
Human Computer Interaction International Conference (HCII) –Jul. 2025
Empowering Inclusive UX Design through the Equitable Design Toolkit. Poster presentation, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Mindful, UCDA Design Education Summit –May. 2025
Toolkit for Equitable Design: Challenging Privilege & Building Inclusion, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC.
The IAFOR International Conference on Education–Jan. 2025
Integrating Intersectionality into Design Education: A Pedagogical Toolkit for Inclusive UX. Honolulu, HI.
Immerse, UCDA Design Education Summit–May. 2024
Intersecting Perspectives: Empowering Design through Marginalized Identities. Poster presentation, Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, Mesa, AZ.
Understanding users is not enough.
Designers also need structured ways to recognize identity, power, privilege, bias, and the broader impact of their design decisions.