By Kai Lukoff, HCDE PhD student

I attended the CHI Conference on human-computer interaction in New Orleans for the 6th and final time as a PhD student. At my first CHI in Denver in 2017 I knew virtually no one, whereas this year it was hard not to get snagged in the hallway by an acquaintance while I was on my way to an event. It was a powerful experience to again attend in-person this conference that has become the community that is now my academic home: CHI has provided me with ideas, connections, and a community for growing my career.

One memorable occasion was a reunion of students from the Intentional Traces Collective, the research lab led by HCDE Associate Professor Sean Munson. Over the deep-fried and sugar-coated beignets at Cafe du Monde, current and former students bonded and shared their experiences in the lab. Several of those former students--Daniel Epstein, Elena Agapie, and Christina Chung--have gone on to faculty roles and brought along their students as well. As I transition into a role as an Assistant Professor myself next year, attending the CHI Conference never fails to introduce me to new friends and collaborators and reconnect me with existing ones. Photo caption: At a reunion of students from the Intentional Traces Collective, the research lab led by HCDE Associate Professor Sean Munson.