News

Tue, 08/02/2022 | Designing Up

How HCDE Professor Beth Kolko is setting the stage for entrepreneurs to flourish, and PhD Student-turned-CEO Melinda Haughey is bringing her HCDE education to the core of her new company.

Three people sitting around a table outside

Tue, 07/12/2022 | Designing Up

Mentor Pods

HCDE's new mentorship program paired 185 students with 54 mentors in the 2021-2022 school year. Recent participants weigh in about the benefits of the program for both students and mentors.

Mt Rainier with purple sky and bright sun

Wed, 06/29/2022 | Designing Up

Ecological Collaboration

In this Q&A with HCDE Research Scientist Shana Hirsch and Associate Professor David Ribes, learn how researchers in HCDE's Data Ecologies Lab are contributing to sustainability, energy futures, and ecological justice.

Stock photo of a dimly lit person looking at their phone with one hand and covering part of their face with the other.

Fri, 06/24/2022 | Designing Up

Supporting Nighttime Reflection

A study by HCDE senior Koyo Nakamura, published in the ACM International Conference on Design of Communication Student Research Competition, looks at how people engage in self-reflection before bedtime, and how designers can support reflection using non-digital means.

rendering of meal delivery kit including insect protein, recipe cards, ingredients and kit box.

Wed, 06/22/2022 | Designing Up

Bug-Centered Design

A new course on Service Design is an opportunity for HCDE graduate students to connect human-centered design principles to large-scale ecosystems. In the Autumn 2021 Service Design course, one team developed BugBox, a concept for a meal delivery subscription service that uses insect protein.

Tue, 06/14/2022 | Designing Up

Year-in-Review Message from HCDE Chair Julie Kientz

Welcome to our annual Designing Up publication, where we highlight activities and accomplishments of students, alumni, and researchers from the University of Washington’s Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering.

Postcards advertising the Dear Design Exhibition, displayed on a table

Tue, 06/14/2022

'Dear Design' Directed Research Group now on exhibition in Sieg Building

In Dear Design, a HCDE Directed Research Group led by Professor Cindy Atman, students explored their design processes by creating postcard representations of their ideal "design signatures." Artifacts created by the students are now on display in a pop-up gallery on the fourth floor of Sieg Building.

Professor Julie Kientz behind the podium at the graduation ceremony

Fri, 06/10/2022

2022 Graduation & Awards Ceremony

The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering held its 2022 Graduation & Awards Ceremony on the morning of Wednesday, June 8, in the Husky Union Building Ballroom. In 2022, the Department awarded 92 students Bachelor of Science degrees, 137 with Master of Science degrees, and 7 with doctoral degrees.

Kathlyne Taylor receiving HCDE Award for Academic Excellence

Fri, 06/10/2022

2022 Awards of Excellence

HCDE faculty annually recognize outstanding students with Awards of Excellence. These awards honor students who have distinguished themselves by demonstrating greatness in Academic Excellence, Leadership and Engagement, Innovation, and—new in 2022—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Gail Thynes on stage at the HCDE graduation ceremony with HCDE faculty behind her

Fri, 06/10/2022

HCDE alumna and supporter Gail Thynes receives the 2022 Mikey Award

HCDE presents the 2022 Mikey Award to HCDE alumna Gail Thynes. The Myron L. White Award, or the Mikey Award, is named after the co-founder of the department. It is presented annually by HCDE faculty to a leader in the field and dedicated friends of the department.