Temple HCI Lab
Research is something you can grow into. You do not need to arrive feeling like an expert.
- Study how people learn, collaborate, and make decisions with technology.
- Explore AI coding tools, accessibility, software teams, and human-centered design.
- Learn through real project work, steady participation, and direct feedback.
New to research? Start here
Start before you feel ready
You do not need a publication idea or a polished research identity. Curiosity, reliability, and a willingness to learn are enough to begin.
You can start early
Freshmen and sophomores are welcome. You do not need a polished portfolio, a publication idea, or a perfect plan.
Start with something small
A first task might be testing a prototype, summarizing a paper, debugging a tool, documenting a decision, or preparing a demo.
Grow into ownership
As your confidence and judgment develop, small guided tasks can become meaningful project ownership.
Research Culture
What the Work Feels Like
Think studio, workshop, and software team, not spectator sport.
Inside the process
Join the work while the thinking is still happening
Not everything will be figured out. A week might include sketching a flow, debating a tradeoff, pairing on code, preparing a demo, or deciding what question to ask next.
Sketch the flow, study, or team plan before rushing into code.
Pair on prototypes, debugging, and open research questions.
Share ideas early, learn from feedback, and improve the story.
Students build, debug, compare ideas, and learn how to work as a collaborative software team.
Students practice explaining their work with confidence. Pictured are Jimson Whiskeyman on the left and Ishan Aggarwal in the center.
First Few Weeks
A Low-Pressure Start
Applying is not a commitment. It gives the HCI Lab recruitment team a chance to consider your interests, timing, and possible fit.
Week 1
Start with fit, not pressure
We talk about your interests, experience, classes, availability, and what you hope to learn.
Weeks 2-3
Try a starter task
You might join a project conversation, review a prototype, document a decision, or pair on a small task.
Weeks 4+
Shape the next step
If the fit and timing work, we shape a larger role together. If not, we can still identify a useful next step.
Research Areas
What You Might Work On
Projects often cross HCI, applied AI, collaborative computing, accessibility, and software engineering education.
Human-centered design
Design, Prototyping, and User Research
We design interfaces, prototype ideas, and study how technology shapes learning, collaboration, and decision-making.
Learn about the HCI Lab
Collaborative systems
Collaboration and Software Engineering Education
We study how student teams communicate, scope work, and grow together in project-based software courses.
See the teaching ecosystem
Applied AI
Applied AI and AI Code Completion Tools
With tools like Clover, we ask when AI code completion helps students, how it affects judgment, and what better support could look like.
Read a recent Clover update
Human-centered systems
Accessibility Technologies and AAC Social Dynamics
We explore accessibility and AAC-related systems, including how tools shape communication, agency, and social interaction.
See where ideas can growStudent Growth
How You Can Grow Here
The goal is more than a resume line: stronger judgment, confidence, and collaboration habits.
Mentorship and momentum
Move from curious learner to confident collaborator
Ask better questions, build something meaningful, and contribute to an HCI community. The habits you develop can carry into capstone, industry, graduate school, and beyond.
Feedback while it matters
I give feedback on scope, questions, communication, prototypes, and code while there is still time to use it.
Responsibility that grows
Students can move from one project task to documenting decisions, leading demos, and shaping larger pieces of the work.
Habits that travel with you
Research is a place to practice judgment, initiative, technical communication, and collaboration for whatever comes next.
You do not need to arrive as an expert
Research should be a place to learn, not a gate to pass through
You do not need to be the most advanced person in the room to contribute something real.
Interests in HCI, UX, software engineering, AI, accessibility, design, or interdisciplinary computing can all offer a starting point.
You do not need to be planning for a PhD. Research also builds product thinking, experimentation, communication, and leadership.
Sustainable commitment matters more than performative overwork. Curiosity, reliability, and follow-through count.
capstone and team growth
Research That Makes You a Stronger Teammate
Practice in judgment, initiative, and communication can make you a stronger contributor in capstone and other team settings.
See the teaching ecosystem
Temple research community
A Bridge Into Broader HCI Community
You can connect with the broader Temple HCI Lab through projects, lab conversations, and other student researchers.
Visit the HCI LabPractical Questions
Questions Students Usually Have
A few direct answers about experience, time, and what happens next.
Before you apply
Basic questions are welcome
You do not need to understand the research world before applying. These are normal things to wonder about.
Do I need research experience already?
No. Curiosity, reliability, follow-through, and a willingness to learn in public matter more.
What skills or classes help?
Programming helps, especially experience building, debugging, or explaining software. HCI, UX, AI, accessibility, design, and writing can also be useful. No one needs all of them.
How much time should I expect?
It depends on the semester, project, and role. We will talk honestly about availability and keep the commitment sustainable.
Can this connect to capstone, independent study, paid work, or credit?
Sometimes. It depends on timing, funding, project fit, and university requirements. Tell me what connection you are hoping to make.
What is HCI in plain language?
Human-computer interaction studies how people use technology and how we can design systems around real human goals.
What happens after I apply?
The Temple HCI Lab recruitment process handles application review and next steps. Applying through the form ensures your interest is considered for current or future opportunities.
How To Get Involved
Apply Early
Students interested in working with me should apply through the Temple HCI Lab interest form.
Applications are welcome
If you are a Temple student interested in working with me now or in the future, apply to the HCI Lab. You do not need to know exactly where your interests fit before applying.