Directed Research Groups

Faculty and research scientists in the department of Human Centered Design & Engineering run directed research groups, which offer students a wide range of opportunities to do hands-on work, from conducting usability tests for local companies all the way to collecting data on communication issues internationally.

Students interested in participating in directed research must get permission directly from the faculty member leading the group. Undergraduate students enroll in HCDE 496, while graduate students register for HCDE 596. HCDE MS students are required to register for the PCE section of HCDE 596. For details on how to register, please visit the Variable Credit Registration Policy.

Students are encouraged to check this list frequently as Directed Research Groups are added leading up to the beginning of the quarter.

Autumn 2025

• Technology Impacts, Community Futures: Engaging Marine Energy Engineers on Community Concerns (Hirsch, Twedt)

Summer 2025

• Participatory Design with Children and Researchers (Yip, Kientz, Lee, Pitt, Hiniker)

Spring 2025

FULL FOR SPRING; NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

• Memes of Production (Peek)
• Designing Healthy Eating Futures for Latinx Adolescents (Castillo, Munson)
• Reading Group: "Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology" (Lee)
• Designing an Inclusive Teaching Toolkit (Ghosh, Zavary)
• Advancing communal experiences DRG (Fox, Turns)
• Technology, Data, and the State (Tang, Ghoshal)
• Safeguarding the National Research Enterprise—How can we empower the U.S. research community to protect the value of its research while maintaining the collaboration that is essential to producing that value? (Haselkorn)
• Building Resilience & Successful Mental Health Initiatives (Aragon, Perkins)
• Testing Drinking Water Quality and Building Science Communication Tools (Cherukumilli)
• Developing a toolkit to support AI concept design (Sinlapanuntakul, Zachry)
• Effects of AR Face Filters in Online Exchanges: Analysis and Implications (Lindner, Zachry)
• “Called It”: Prediction and Sensemaking in the 2024 Election (Lutz, Starbird)
• Exploring Engagement with Virtual Pet Sites (Allred, Aragon)
• HCDE in Engineering Discovery Days (Arpita B)
• Evaluating Live Streams (Mallari, Zachry)

Registration Process

To register for a variable credit course, students should first consult a faculty member or advisor to obtain an instructor code. HCDE MS students are required to register for the PCE sections of HCDE 596 and HCDE 599. 

To register for a variable credit course, students must collect the following information:

• Course SLN (from MyPlan or the Time Schedule)
• Faculty code (from the instructor)
• Number of Credits* (from the instructor)

*One credit equates to three hours of work each week. Students should discuss the number of credits with the supervising instructor.