About Me
I am the associate director of the Technology for Aging Gracefully Lab at the University of Toronto's Department of Computer Science and Knowledge Media Design Institute. I am also a CIHR Fellow in Health Care, Technology, and Place (HCTP) and an NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow. I finished my PhD in human-computer interaction at the University of British Columbia (UBC), where I investigated methods for increasing the accessibility of pen-based technology (such as Tablet PCs) for older adults, under the supervision of Dr Joanna McGrenere.
My research explores the ways in which technology can be employed to meet human needs and enable older individuals to overcome everyday challenges and obstacles. The overarching goal of my work is to design new technologies that enable older adults to engage with the world and each other. To support this longterm goal and make these technologies possible, I also examine and address core accessibility issues. I focus on older adults because they form a diverse demographic leading to rich opportunities for exploring the ways that human abilities and disabilities impact our interactions with technology. Beyond my core focus of aging and accessibility, I am interested in human perception, adaptive interfaces, mobile devices, and ubiquitous computing.
More About Me
Oh you were serious about wanting to know about me? Where to begin!
Well, you should probably know that I unwind with some pretty unusual hobbies. As such, I'm prone to exotic headwear (as captured here, here, and most recently, here). But don't worry. I haven't cracked under the pressure of academic life. I've never been typical. If anything, my hobbies helped prepare me for grad school. For example, this one taught me how to hang on for dear life.
