REU Site: Building Interfaces for Tomorrow's Technology--The Virginia Tech Research in Human-Computer Interaction Program

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Human-computer interaction (HCI), already acknowledged as an important discipline by computer scientists and those in related disciplines, will increase in importance as technology becomes even more integrated into every day life. With twelve faculty members in the area and state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, Virginia Tech's Center for HCI is a leader in the development of new interfaces and in the education of scientists and engineers who will build and use them. Building on a long and rich history of undergraduate research, the PIs and affiliated faculty seek to engage students from regional schools in research endeavors-particularly those from schools that traditionally cater to women and underrepresented minorities. Four regional schools (with whom the group has partnered on other efforts) serve as partner institutions on this proposal, hosting visits and open house events to encourage their students to attend the program. At least ten students are involved during the eight-week summer program, with the goal of providing the students with a broad look at the discipline of HCI and an in-depth experience conducting research with experienced faculty on the latest technology-ultimately leading to an informed decision to further their education with a graduate degree from Virginia Tech or elsewhere. The site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.Intellectual meritThe proposed work will advance the field of HCI through the integration of unique opinions of a diverse population. The discipline of HCI is highly interdisciplinary, drawing success from the melding of computer science, industrial and systems engineering, psychology, sociology, computer engineering, architecture, art, and more-all fields in which the faculty listed on this proposal have recent or ongoing projects. By drawing upon the strengths at regional universities and leveraging the unique experiences of populations typically not adequately represented in computer science or HCI, the project will significantly advance interface development for emerging technologies.Broader impactCentral to this proposal is the teaching, training, and learning for an emerging group of leaders in HCI. Particularly important is participation of under-represented groups: women and minorities at colleges lacking the research programs and infrastructure present at Virginia Tech. The proposal leverages several recent enhancements to the resources and infrastructure at our university-many funded by the NSF-by building and enhancing external partnerships. As the program grows and matures, a diverse and well-trained set of new leaders in research will emerge from Virginia Tech.