HCII offers Human Computer Interaction (HCI) as an additional major for undergraduates, as well as a master's degree and PhDs in HCI. Students from various academic backgrounds come together from around the world to participate in this program. Students hold undergraduate degrees in psychology, design, and computer science, as well as many others. Students enter the program at various stages in their academic and professional careers. HCII research and educational programs span a full cycle of knowledge creation. The cycle includes research on how people work, play, and communicate within groups, organizations, and social structures. It includes the design, creation, and evaluation of technologies and tools to support human and social activities.[4]
Academics
The institution offers degrees in undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies.
Jodi Forlizzi has been a faculty member with the department since 2000. She specializes interaction design and received a self-defined Ph.D. in human computer interaction and design at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007.[6] She has a background of fine arts with a bachelor's degree in Illustration from University of the Arts. She is a member of the Association for Computing Machinery’s CHI Academy and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center has honored her for excellence in human-robot interaction design research.[7]
Chris Harrison is a professor at and director of the Future Interfaces Group within the Human–Computer Interaction Institute. He has previously conducted research at AT&T Labs, Microsoft Research, IBM Research and Disney Research. He is known for his pioneering work on scratch input and for developing Skinput and Omnitouch. He is also the CTO and co-founder of Qeexo, a machine learning and interaction technology startup.
Robert Kraut is a Herbert A. Simon Professor of Human–Computer Interaction. His interests lie with social computing, design, and information technology.[8] In 2016 he received the Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science – SCS Allen Newell Research Award for his research on "Designing Online Communities."[9]
Jessica Hammer is an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and the Director of the Center for Transformational Play. She has a joint appointment with the Entertainment Technology Center. Hammer researches the psychology of games. She also started the OHLab, along with Amy Ogan and associated students, staff, and colleagues.
Amy Ogan is an Associate Professor at the HCII department with interests in emerging technologies for education. She graduated from Carnegie Mellon two times, first as undergraduate with degrees in Spanish, Computer Science, and Human–Computer Interaction, second with a doctoral degree in Human–Computer Interaction. She is a recipient of the Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship due to her interest in youth education and development.[11]
