2026 HCDE Capstone Showcase
The HCDE Capstone Showcase, held June 3, 2026, featured more than 50 projects from students tackling real-world challenges in healthcare, AI, transportation, education, accessibility, entertainment, sustainability, and more.
HCDE Capstone projects combine human-centered research, design, engineering, and strategy to address complex real-world problems. Students spend months working with organizations and communities to develop solutions grounded in usability, accessibility, ethics, and human needs.
Developed in collaboration with organizations like Amazon, Microsoft, Uber, Google Cloud, Sony, Fred Hutch, Sound Transit, Bloodworks Northwest, and UW partners, these projects showcase how HCDE students design technologies and systems centered around human needs. Attendees can meet student teams, try interactive demos, and connect with the broader HCDE community.
2026 Capstone awards
Creativity award
Recognizes projects that innovate creativity and take risks with design, research, ideation, prototyping, or otherwise.
UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
Sieg MakeLab: Redesigning for Community Building and Inclusive STEM Education
Sponsor: UW HCDE
HCDE Bachelor's Team: Darby Moore, Sehrish Daud, Jordyn Padzensky, Rhiannon Hayes-McQueen
Master's Award
Sony Tailgate: Your Gameday, Amplified
Sponsor: Sony
HCDE Master's Team: Courtney Mills, Sal Abdm, Vinh Trinh, Leah Chen
Engagement award
Recognizes teams that go above and beyond with respect to one or more of the following: equity, justice, environment, and changing lives.
UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
Brave Steps: Empowering Culturally Isolated Families to Self-Advocate at Pediatric Hospitals
HCDE Master's Team: Katherine Hess, Jackie Greisen, Samantha Uppalapati, Julie Wang
Covalence: Pioneering Outreach Strategies for the Rainier Valley Food Bank
Sponsor: Rainer Valley Food Bank
HCDE Bachelor's Team: Michelle Nguyen, Wenyi Tsai, Justis Peppin, Angel Torres
Master's Award
Miliki
Sponsor: Shades of Divinity
HCDE Master's Student: M'Nya Preston
Leadership award
Recognizes groundbreaking and unique social or technical leadership.
UNDERGRADUATE AWARD
From Interest to Impact: Improving Engagement for Acting Globally
Sponsor: Acting Globally
HCDE Bachelor's Team: Cara Huynh, Kristine Cho, Joey Choi, Katherine Kang
Master's Award
Designing for 2035–2040: Shaping Healthier Transportation Choices in Our Cities
Sponsor: Building H
HCDE Master's Team: Inhauck Choi, Ruthvik Panchakshari, Jesse Yu, Ambika Ramesh Menon
Now accepting capstone project proposals for 2027
A team of HCDE students typically spend 100+ hours on their Capstone experience. If you have a design project that would benefit from a fresh human-centered perspective, learn more and propose a Capstone project here.
Questions? Contact Melissa Ewing, HCDE Outreach Manager, at mewing3@uw.edu.