News
Thu, 03/19/2026
Professor Cecilia Aragon reflects on her career and building the field of human-centered data science
As she retires from the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering, Professor Cecilia Aragon reflects on helping shape the field of human-centered data science, mentoring students, what she hopes they carry forward into the future of AI, and the next chapter of her career.
Mon, 03/02/2026
Winter 2026 course showcases
Step inside HCDE classrooms at our end-of-quarter showcases. Discover student work across service design, AI, prototyping, usability research, and venture design.
Thu, 02/05/2026
Call for Nominations: 2026 HCDE Outstanding Alumni Award
The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering is accepting nominations for the 2026 HCDE Outstanding Alumni Award, which recognizes alumni whose work reflects the mission and values of our community. Nominations are open through April 1, 2026.
Wed, 01/21/2026
Professor Kate Starbird named ACM Fellow for advancing research on misinformation and information ecosystems
HCDE Professor Kate Starbird has been named an ACM Fellow, one of the highest honors in computing, for her groundbreaking research on misinformation and online information ecosystems. The honor recognizes her contributions to understanding and improving information ecosystems, including during crisis events and in addressing misinformation.
Mon, 01/12/2026
HCDE master’s student earns two awards at Stanford XR hackathon
HCDE master’s student William (Wang Silang) earned two awards at the Stanford XR Immerse the Bay Hackathon for a project exploring how immersive and Tangible User Interface (TUI) technologies can help people engage meaningfully and respectfully with memories of deceased loved ones.
Mon, 12/29/2025
Students explore wearable technology in design jam for accessibility
In Autumn quarter, HCDE welcomed students for wearABLE Futures, a fast-paced design jam focused on the question: How might we make wearable technology more accessible to all humans? Industry mentors from Ipsos, Oura, Meta, Ralytics, and Microsoft’s Inclusive Tech Lab met with student teams, offering feedback and helping students connect their ideas to real-world feasibility and impact.
Wed, 12/17/2025
HCDE impact: Professor Nadya Peek on human-centered automation
HCDE Associate Professor Nadya Peek is designing open, human-centered automation tools that help scientists run more reproducible, creative, and accessible experiments. Working with collaborators across engineering, science, and fabrication, her research focuses on building flexible automation systems that can be adapted to different labs, workflows, and research questions.
Wed, 11/19/2025
HCDE recognizes Dr. Natasha N. Jones with Outstanding Alumni Award
The Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering is proud to recognize Natasha N. Jones (PhD ‘12), associate professor in Michigan State University’s Department of African American and African Studies, as the inaugural recipient of the HCDE Outstanding Alumni Award.
Tue, 11/18/2025
HCDE students earn second place in global IBM Service Design Challenge
A team of HCDE master’s students has earned second place in the IBM Challenge as part of the 2025 Student Service Design Challenge, an international competition inviting students to design services that advance equality and inclusivity. Their project, Echo, addresses a growing need for transparency and ethical communication around the use of AI in speech-language pathology.
Mon, 10/20/2025
HCDE researchers recognized at CSCW 2025 in Norway
HCDE faculty and students participated in CSCW 2025, the premier international conference on technologies that support collaboration and social interaction, held October 18–22 in Bergen, Norway. Their participation through papers, workshops, and service reflects the department’s active role in advancing research on how people work, learn, and connect through technology.