Want to Do Research?

Ph.D.

I will be admitting students in the upcoming admissions cycle. If interested in applying to the Ph.D. program (to start Fall 2027), check the UMSI website. Applications are typically due on December 1st. I am prioritizing applicants whose research interests related to older age or caregiving. I will also review applications related to disability and technology. Applications that focus on health outcomes or broader inclusion goals (that do not include older adults or disabled people) do not align with my research program and should tag other faculty members, e.g., in the health informatics program. I do not meet with potential students before applications as due since interviews are incorporated into the second round of the admissions process.

Master's or Undergraduate

I am not currently hiring additional master's or undergraduate students to work on research

Currently working with:

Ph.D. Students

A headshot of Hira Jamshed standing in front of a river
Hira Jamshed
Pronouns: she/her
Program: Ph.D. in Information
Interests: HCI, accessibility, generative AI

M.S. Students

A headshot of Felipe wearing a suit jacket and tie
Felipe Barrios
Pronouns: he/him/él
Program: M.S. in Information
Interests: identity, influence, and power in social systems

Alum

a studio headshot of leah smiling, with a platinum blond and black twist hairstyle, wearing a blazer and green blouse
Leah Ankutse
Pronouns: she/her
Program: B.S. in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science
Interests: brain-computer interaction, machine learning, human-computer interaction

a headshot photograph of Aisha Benloucif. She is wearing a grey scarf and blue outfit, posing with a smile on her face in front of a white background
Aisha Benloucif
Pronouns: she/her
Program: M.S. in Health Informatics
Interests: patient health, clinical research gaps

sam headshot
Dr. Sam Ankenbauer
Pronouns: he/him
Program: Ph.D. in Information
Interests: HCI, STS, information ecologies, accessibility

Headshot of John Rudnik, a man in his mid-twenties
John Rudnik
Program: Ph.D. in Information
Interests: political (and moral) economy of longevity & technology, old age and inequality, STS

An Asian woman wearing head covering and eyeglasses looking at the camera.
Dr. Novia Nurain
Pronouns: she/her
Postdoctoral Researcher
Interests: aging, health, resilience, social support, personal informatics, conversational technologies

Rahaf with dyed maroon hair tips. In the background, there are green plants hanging on the wall. Rahaf is wearing a black t-shirt
Dr. Rahaf Alharbi
Pronouns: she/her
Program: Ph.D. in Information
Interests: disability studies, accessibility, privacy, HCI

Jazette
Dr. Jazette Johnson
Postdoctoral Researcher

Cindy headshot
Cindy Tan
Program: B.S. Information
Pronouns: she/her

A semi-professional headshot of Sharadhi Raghuraj in a cafe
Sharadhi Raghuraj
Program: M.S. Information
Interests: HCI, accessibility, ubiquitous computing

Mingyi, a woman sitting in a store and smiling at the camera in a sunny afternoon.
Mingyi Li
Program: B.S. in Computer Science and Cognitive Science
Interests: HCI, accessibility, aging, computational design

anandita headshot
Anandita Aggarwal
Program: M.S in Information
Pronouns: she/her
Interest: accessibility, HCI, social media/online communities

A headshot of Luke, a white person with short, dyed purple hair wearing a dark blue buttoned shirt and turquoise-rimmed glasses. In the background, there is blurred abstract art against an off-white wall.
Luke Kudryashov
Program: M.S in Information
Interests: Disability studies, digital accessibility, HCI

gina headshot
Gina Spelman
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program: M.S. in Information
Interests: HCI, UX design + research, visual communication, information architecture, interaction design

lauren headshot
Lauren Trimble
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program: M.S in Information
Interests: equitable information systems, accessible voting

kerry headshot
Kerry Lee
Pronouns: he/him
Program: B.S. in Economics, Pre-Med
Interests: life sciences, technology

Maisarah Mahathir
Program: B.A. in Psychology, B.S. in Information
Interests: HCI, social Media, organizational behavior

Haripriya Suryadevara
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Program: B.S. Business, Computer Science
Interests: HCI, social media, accessibility

Olivia Vander Hyde
Pronouns: she/her
Program: B.S. Psychology, Spanish
Interests: accessibility, LGBTQ+, memory, neurodevelopmental disorders

pooja headshot
Pooja Upadhyay
Pronouns: she/her
Interests: HCI, search, information systems

Headshot of Yeshashree with long brown hair, wearing a beanie and a coat, smiling
Yeshashree Prasanna
Pronouns: she/her
Program: M.S. Information
Interests: HCI, voice assistant design, privacy