Department History

The University of Washington's HCDE Department is one of the only programs of its kind. This timeline walks you through some of the most significant milestones in the department's history and how we found our way to our new department name in January 2009.

1974 Professors James Souther and Myron White of the College of Engineering's Department of Humanistic-Social Studies (HSS) extended their teaching of technical writing to include a series of courses for students interested in the profession of technical communication. Students who completed the technical writing series could add it as a "minor" to another degree program or could use it as the focus (in effect a "major") for an interdisciplinary bachelor's degree in Engineering or in the General Studies Program of the College of Arts and Sciences.

1979 By the end of the 1978-1979 academic year, 10 TC "majors" and 32 TC "minors" had graduated from the University of Washington.

1983 The College of Engineering dissolved the HSS Department, but retained the seven members of the technical communication faculty. They became the nucleus of an Interdisciplinary Program in Scientific and Technical Communication. Professor Souther became the Program's Director.

1985 Dr. Mark Haselkorn, former Director of Technical and Professional Writing at Louisiana State University, replaced James Souther as Director of the College of Engineering's Program in Scientific and Technical Communication at the University of Washington.

1986 The Program began offering courses for an interdisciplinary master's degree in the College of Engineering, as well as courses for the two bachelor's degrees.

1988 The Program began offering a year-long evening program, through the University of Washington Extension Program, in which science and engineering professionals could earn a Certificate in Technical Writing and Editing. The certificate program has continued to serve working professionals, even now that full-fledged degree programs have been developed.

1989 The Interdisciplinary College Program became the full-fledged Department of Technical Communication, offering its own Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. It also continued to teach courses in technical writing to engineering students.

1991 The Department added a second section to its Certificate in Technical Writing and Editing, now offering the program not only in Seattle but also Bothell, Washington. (This section was later moved to Bellevue, Washington.)

1993 The Department of Technical Communication began the graduate-level Technical Japanese Program, with Dr. Michio Tsutsui as Program Director.

1997 Dr. Judith Ramey was appointed to Chair of the Department. The TC Minor Program introduced.

2000 The Department of Technical Communication launched its Evening Master's in Technical Communication program. This new degree program graduated its first class in spring 2002.

2002 The Department of Technical Communication launched its TC Doctoral Program.

2003 The Department of Technical Communication further expanded its programs for professionals by creating the Graduate Certificate in User-Centered Design in winter 2003.

2004 Donna Sakson, her husband Jonathan Mark, and Sakson & Taylor, Inc. donated $100,000 to set up an endowed scholarship fund to bring in minority students. The gift also increased TC's total endowment by almost 50%!

2005 TC's Engineering Communication Program won the Conference of College Composition and Communication Writing Program Certificate of Excellence. Also, Professor Phil Bereano retired from TC in 2005.

2006 Mark Zachry joined TC faculty as a new associate professor. He came from Utah State University and is the editor of Technical Communication Quarterly. Jennifer Turns was promoted to associate professor; Suzanne Weghorst, the Director of the UW Human Interface Technology (HIT) Lab joined the TC department as a Senior Principle Research Scientist.

2007 TC celebrates its first PhD graduate, Carolyn Wei, whose dissertation was titled, "Mobile Hybridity: Supporting Personal and Romantic Relationships with Mobile Phones in Digitally Emergent Spaces."

2008 Dr. Jan Spyridakis was appointed as Department Chair. Four new faculty join TC: three assistant professors: Drs. Sarah Kriz, Charlotte Lee, and Julie Kientz; and Professor Cynthia Atman, Mitchell T. and Lella Blanche Bowie Endowed Chair, CELT and CEEE Director.

2009 TC changes its department name to Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) and the Department moves to the 4th floor of Sieg Hall. New HCDE degree titles are approved at the BS, MS, and PhD levels. The department continues to grow--in its student enrollment, in the respect its faculty earns, and in the scope of its influence.