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I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Cognitive Science at UC San Diego. I am affiliated with the Contextual Robotics Institute in the Computer Science and Engineering Department and the Mind and Development lab in the Psychology Department. I have a master's degree in Human-Computer Interaction and a bachelor's degree in Digital Art.​​

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With an interdisciplinary background, I leverage mixed-method research and experimental design to enhance user interactions with technology and deepen insights into human cognition.​

Research

I am broadly interested in how humans perceive and interact with emerging technologies. My research centered on the perceived realness of technological interfaces and artificial agents (the degree to which they appear authentic, credible, or lifelike to users), asking (1) how this affects social judgments, trust, interaction, and acceptance, and (2) how it facilitates or hinders learning.

Technological

interfaces

Social cognition

Informal learning

Social robots

Embodied social presence

Digital technology

Simulated presence
(e.g., AI agents, VR/AR, video games, video conferencing)

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How do robot movements affect humans' social attributions toward the robot?

Two pre-registered online experiments. Manuscript in preparation. 

SMPC’22 Student Research Award finalist 

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Parents' lay theories and beliefs about children's robots in the home

Study 1. Interview study. [Journal paper]  [PDF]

Study 2: A longitudinal study with robot intervention in natural home environments, employing a mixed-methods approach (pre-posttest, daily logs, surveys, and interviews). Manuscript in preparation.

🏆 ICSR’24 Best Short Paper Award

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Children's learning about the visual perspectives of others

Three pre-registered experiments were conducted, with data collected over Zoom from 4- to 6-year-old children recruited through Children Helping Science (Lookit). Manuscript in preparation. 

💵 This work is funded by the UCSD Sanford Institute for Empathy and Compassion.

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Children's judgment and exploratory behaviors in augmented reality

Two pre-registered experiments were conducted with data collected from 3- to 7-year-old children at a local science museum and preschools. Manuscript in preparation. 

💵 This work is funded by the UCSD Senate Research Grant program.

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Itchy, Scratchy: A musical robot for low-income children's piano practicing

Designed an affordable robot, named Itchy and Scratchy, to help children practice piano outside the classroom. A user study demonstrated that Itchy and Scratchy served as an economical, effective, and engaging tool for musical learning.

[HRI'18 LBW]  [PDF] 

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User types and design opportunities of virtual reality pet games 

Investigated how emotional connections with real pets shape expectations for virtual animals in VR. An online survey and in-lab study revealed differences in perception, motivation, and expectations between players with and without pets. Identified three user types to inform VR pet game design strategies.

[VRST'17 full paper]  [PDF] • [ACII'17 full paper]  [PDF] 

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Self-directed learning in Minecraft classrooms

Interviewed teachers and students using Minecraft in education. Findings showed Minecraft motivates learning through customizable contexts, immersive stories, and role-playing. Proposed design recommendations for informal online learning spaces.

[CHI'17 LBW]  [PDF] 

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Affective research on massive multiplayer online role-playing games

Conducted a systematic literature review and developed a theoretical model based on flow theory, interactive drama, and emotion theories. ​

🏆 Best Undergraduate Graduation Thesis

I have assisted with teaching the following courses:

Research methods & programming:

  • COGS 119 Programming for Experimental Research

  • COGS 118A Supervised Machine Learning Algorithms

  • COGS 118B. Intro. to Machine Learning

  • COGS 108 Data Science in Practice

  • COGS 18 Intro. to Python

  • COGS 14B Intro. to Statistical Analysis

  • COGS 14A Intro. to Research Methods

  • COGS 13 Field Methods: Studying Cognition in the Wild​​

Cognitive science & Psychology: ​

  • COGS 111 Beauty and the Brain

  • COGS 107A Neuroanatomy and Physiology

  • PSYC 104 Social Psychology

  • COSG 100 Cyborgs Now and in the Future

  • COGS 10 Cognitive Consequences of Technology

UX design:

  • COGS 187A Usability and Information Architecture

  • COGS 102C Cognitive Design

  • DSGN 100 Prototyping​​

I have peer-reviewed journals and conferences:

​Journals:

  • Computers in Human Behavior

  • Journal of Children and Media

Conferences:

  • Cognitive Science Society (CogSci)

  • ACM CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI)

  • ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction (HRI)

  • IEEE International Conference on Robot & Human Interactive Communication (RO-MAN)

  • International Conference on Social Robotics (ICSR)

  • ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS)

  • ACM SIGCHI Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing (CSCW)

  • BUDAPEST CEU Conference on Cognitive Development (BCCCD)

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