Potential research areas

Our lab has active projects in several research areas. We are also open to postdoctoral researchers who propose their own ideas.

• Digital wellbeing beyond screentime tools – Researching, designing, and developing digital interfaces to give users a sense of control over how they spend their time online. This work moves beyond the current set of screentime tools to think more deeply about how we can create systems that respect human attention. This builds on a line of research that was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Dissertation Award by ACM SIGCHI, the leading organization of human-computer interaction researchers.
• Augmented reality (AR) storytelling – In one of our initial projects, we are collaborating with Native American partners to create an immersive AR tour showcasing the past, present, and future of the Ohlone Tribe on Santa Clara University campus (read more).
• Research tools to understand mobile apps – Researchers in many fields from business to mental health are studying the apps on mobile app stores. However, scraping and analyzing data from mobile app stores is challenging for non-technical researchers and the process is undocumented. How can we create tools and guidelines that help researchers do this important work?

Requirements

• Ph.D. in human-computer interaction or a related field
• Motivation to research, design, and develop technologies with a social impact

Position description

• Initial term of one year with the possibility of extension
• This position is based in Santa Clara, California
• Applicants from backgrounds traditionally marginalized or underrepresented in the field are especially encouraged to apply
• Estimated salary range is $56,000 – $68,000

Interested?

Please email Professor Kai Lukoff with: (1) a few sentences on why your skills and interests are a good fit for our HCI research lab; (2) your CV; and (3) at least one sample publication to show relevant experience. Inquiries are accepted year round. 

Potential research areas

Our lab has active projects in several research areas. If you join our lab as a PhD student, you can grow one of these existing research areas or propose your own.

• Digital wellbeing beyond screentime tools – Researching, designing, and developing digital interfaces to give users a sense of control over how they spend their time online. This work moves beyond the current set of screentime tools to think more deeply about how we can create systems that respect human attention. This builds on a line of research that was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Dissertation Award by ACM SIGCHI, the leading organization of human-computer interaction researchers.
• Augmented reality (AR) storytelling – In one of our initial projects, we are collaborating with Native American partners to create an immersive AR tour showcasing the past, present, and future of the Ohlone Tribe on Santa Clara University campus (read more).
• Research tools to understand mobile apps – Researchers in many fields from business to mental health are studying the apps on mobile app stores. However, scraping and analyzing data from mobile app stores is challenging for non-technical researchers and the process is undocumented. How can we create tools and guidelines that help researchers do this important work?

Requirements

• Interest in human-computer interaction
• Motivation to research, design, and develop technologies with a social impact
• Experience with web technologies (e.g., HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
• Computer science B.S. degree required, M.S. degree preferred (this PhD position is within the Department of Computer Science and Engineering)
• See also program information and admissions information

Recommended preparation

A Ph.D. is a major life decision. Before you apply, I recommend you do some background reading. I also recommend you perform this exercise: 3 Papers I Wish I’d Written. When I was considering a PhD, it helped me clarify my own goals. It might also help you.

Interested?

Please email Kai Lukoff with your CV and a few sentences on why your skills and interests are a good fit for our HCI research lab. If you have completed the 3 Papers I Wish I’d Written exercise, please share that too. We can then schedule a time to speak.

March 9, 2023, Santa Clara, California

Professors Kai Lukoff (Computer Science and Engineering), Amy Lueck (English), and Lee Panich (Anthropology) from Santa Clara University have received the 2023 Whitham Family Collaborative Scholarship Award for their interdisciplinary research project. With the $30,000 award, the team plans to develop an augmented reality (AR) tour of the Santa Clara University campus that tells the story of the Ohlone, the Native Americans who have been caretakers of the land for thousands of years. Inspired by alternative walking tours, such as the race and slavery tour at the University of Alabama, the AR tour will offer visitors the opportunity to experience the past, present, and future of the Ohlone in new and thought-provoking ways. Through holding up their phones, visitors can interact with around 20 different stops on the campus, including a life-size 3D model of traditional dwellings pre-colonization and the tribal flag superimposed atop a flagpole on the campus. The tour will be developed using 8th Wall WebAR and LightShip VPS by Niantic, the creators of Pokémon Go.

The AR tour has the potential to reach not only the campus and tribal community but also the many visitors, including thousands of California school children, who visit the university campus each year. The interdisciplinary team is working closely with Native community partners to create the tour.

This collaborative project is a rare example of truly interdisciplinary research that can contribute to breakthrough research and social change. The team plans to use the insights gained through this process to create “The AR Toolkit for Social Justice Tours,” a guide and set of resources that will empower educators and storytellers worldwide to create alternative tours that challenge traditional narratives.