The Social Emotional Technology Lab (SET Lab) is an interdisciplinary HCI group within the Computational Media department at UC Santa Cruz. The lab investigates interactive technologies that support physical, social, and emotional experiences through human-computer interaction. My work focused on leading multiple projects (most notably an NSF-funded initiative), exploring the design and evaluation of immersive collaboration in social VR.

➤ Led a multi-year NSF-funded project focused on collaborative interaction in social VR environments

➤ Directed 7+ mixed-methods UX research studies across consumer and enterprise VR/XR platforms

➤ Designed and conducted remote user studies with 2000+ participants

➤ Investigated pain points in in-headset team meetings

➤ Analyzed qualitative data to generate insights for prototyping and innovation

➤ Created 2D design assets, user flows, and wireframes to visualize design opportunities

➤ Delivered actionable research findings through journey maps, reports, and mockups for stakeholders

➤ Mentored 5 junior researchers and facilitated 7 in-headset VR workshops with external partners

➤ Co-authored 8+ peer-reviewed publications and presented at 20+ international conferences

➤ Supported instruction of 100+ students in game design and design research methods

As the company’s first UX researcher, I developed a foundational research strategy for an AI-powered no-code game engine. Focused on improving onboarding and early-stage user adoption.

➤ Conducted usability tests, interviews, benchmarking, and heuristic evaluations to identify friction

➤ Delivered research insights that led to a 20% increase in new user retention

➤ Created wireframes (Figma) and collaborated cross-functionally to integrate findings into design

➤ Wrote 80% of the bilingual user manual (GitBook) to support users' onboarding

Worked on the multiplayer design team for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, supporting design exploration for competitive PvP experiences.

➤ Developed early user journeys and concepts for PvP interaction systems

➤ Created wireframes for player stats, leaderboards, and maps on PS4 and Xbox using Adobe Illustrator

➤ Participated in internal playtests and design feedback sessions to improve flow and usability

Conducted research and prototyping for educational and VR games, contributing to client-funded projects focused on financial literacy, fitness, and player motivation.

➤ Synthesized findings from cognitive psychology and HCI to shape design decisions

➤ Co-led the design of a multiplayer VR exergame, showcased at 3 conferences and published at CHI Play

➤ Created visual prototypes in Unity 3D, Sketch, and Adobe CC; collaborated on playable builds with engineers

Led the launch of a multiplayer fashion game (Lady Popular) in Eastern Europe, combining user analytics with creative production.

➤ Directed localization and marketing campaigns; optimized using DAU, retention, and ARPPU metrics

➤ Managed Agile sprints and team recruitment to accelerate delivery and scale production