The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering annually holds a ceremony to celebrate graduates from across our academic programs and recognize select students with awards for academic excellence; leadership; innovation; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Graduating students may invite their friends and family; tickets are not required.
2025 Graduation & Awards Ceremony
Wednesday, June 11
6 – 8 p.m.
Husky Union Building (HUB) Ballroom, UW Seattle
Agenda
5 p.m. | Graduating student check-in begins |
5:30 p.m. | Doors open for families and friends |
6 p.m. | Graduation ceremony + Welcome remarks by HCDE Professor & Chair Julie Kientz |
8 p.m. | Conclusion |
2025 Graduation Speaker
Dr. Leila Takayama is a Human-Robot Interaction researcher and consultant, who currently serves as the VP of Design at Robust.AI. Prior to joining Robust.AI, she was a tenured associate professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also worked as a full-time researcher at Willow Garage and GoogleX. Dr. Takayama translates human-robot interaction research into actionable recommendations for the design of robotic products and services. Her clients include Fortune 100 companies, tech startups, and non-profit organizations. She has contributed to over a dozen robot products, including drones in the air; industrial, service, and consumer robots on the ground; and uncrewed robotic systems in the ocean. She graduated from Stanford University with a PhD in Communication (2008) and from UC Berkeley with BAs in Cognitive Science and Psychology (2003).
Information for graduates
Register by May 19
Graduating HCDE MS, BS, and PhD students must RSVP for the 2025 HCDE Graduation Ceremony using this Google Form (UW login required). In the form, students submit a brief bio that will be read as they cross the stage. Students may return to their submission and make edits until the June 4 deadline.
Directions & Parking
Plan your visit to the HUB via car, transit, or bike.
Accessibility accommodations
Graduating students were asked to request accessibility accommodations for themselves and their guests in the student RSVP form.
Regalia
Wearing regalia is customary for students, but it is not required. Students order regalia via the University of Washington's order form.
Unsure how to wear regalia correctly? View this video that describes how to wear a graduation cap, gown, and hood.
Engineering undergraduates wear orange tassels, and master's graduates wear orange hoods.
MS and PhD graduates will carry their hood draped over their left arm and hand it to the faculty during the ceremony for the hooding.
Day of the ceremony
Graduating students check in to the South Ballroom in the HUB beginning at 5 p.m. Guests of the graduates may enter the HUB Ballroom beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Graduates will be seated together in the center of the ballroom, organized by MS, BS, and PhD students.
There will not be food or refreshments at the ceremony, so please plan accordingly. There is a convenience store and coffee shop in the ground floor of the HUB.
See also