Short Reflections

On HCI and computer vision: What draws me to HCI research is understanding how to apply developing technology to the needs of vulnerable populations. My independent research involved adapting two emerging fields, augmented reality and computer vision, to address the inability to discern emotions for people with autism.

On the most significant challenge society faces: Climate change will exacerbate inequality, compounded by the lack of technical reasoning and basic scientific understanding needed to address it. What's telling is how difficult it is for society to tend to collective challenges that span borders, problems that don't respect the lines we've drawn.

A historical moment I'd want to witness: In 1992, audio and video were streamed over the internet for the first time. Considering the lack of shared standards then, I'd want to watch that team iterating through each failure. It feels like the kind of moment that rhymes with every hard technical problem: you don't know it'll work until it does, and then everyone acts like it was inevitable.

The best compliment I've received: At work, I was offered the quiet night shift I'd wanted. But I noticed that my hours created increasing challenges that would have burdened the person after me, who worked despite being elderly and ill, so I turned it down. Our mail carrier told me I had real responsibility and compassion. That stuck.