Two UW CREATE board members were honored by SIGCHI, the international society for professionals, academics and students who are interested in human-technology and human-computer interaction (HCI). The awards identify and honor leaders and shapers of the field of human-computer interaction within SIGCHI.
Juan E. Gilbert received 2021 Social Impact Award
Juan E. Gilbert received a 2021 SIGCHI Social Impact Award for research that “examines both HCI and AI through his examinations of Bias in AI, Advanced Learning Technologies, Culturally Aware Computing, and attention to people with a wide variety of disabilities and formative experiences.”
Dr. Gilbert’s work in Advanced Learning Technologies increases access to technology for those with limited educational opportunities, particularly by providing personalized and culturally relevant instruction for those in under-resourced schools. Dr. Gilbert is using his research in AI to understand how clustering algorithms might better process admissions applications in ways that actually serve to increase holistic diversity rather than select for majority dominant groups as traditional algorithmic approaches have done. In pilot studies with several universities, Dr. Gilbert’s patented AI algorithm for admissions called Applications Quest has resulted in greater diversity in a fraction of the time it takes the admissions committee while yielding the same academic achievement levels as the committee. In short, Dr. Gilbert’s research has made substantial impact in areas of educational technology and learning support not only in terms of basic HCI and AI research but also in applying this work for great impact to address the systemic barriers to high quality education.
Jonathan Lazar joins the CHI Academy
Jonathan Lazar was inducted into the CHI Academy, for his research on interface accessibility for users with disabilities. His work has provided an empirically based understanding of how people with disabilities interact with technologies, influencing researchers and developers, changing interface guidelines, and setting new standards for research methods involving people with disabilities.
For instance, his research has provided a foundation for understanding how Blind users interact with menu structures, security features, and frustrating situations, among others. Jonathan Lazar also performed the first HCI research focusing on users with Down syndrome. A hallmark of his research has been his ongoing partnership with disability advocacy groups, including the National Federation of the Blind, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs (G3ICT) at the United Nations.
Both award descriptions were excerpted from the SIGCHI Awards pages. Read the full article.