Researchers

Norman Makoto Su
Lab Director

Norman is an associate professor of Computational Media in the Baskin School of Engineering at UC Santa Cruz. He served as UCSC’s inaugural Vice Chair for the Human Computer Interaction MS program from 2021-2026 at the Silicon Valley Campus. He is also an affiliate faculty of the Center for Labor and Community and Institute of Software Research. He does mixed-methods research in human–computer interaction (HCI) and computer–supported cooperative work (CSCW). He occasionally toots the Irish flute.

Akash Chaudhary
PhD Student

Akash is a Computational Media PhD student at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has worked for 3.5 years in the past as a UX/UI researcher with a focus on designing a speech improvement mobile application, as well as discovering dark design patterns on video streaming platforms. He is currently focused on exploring the problems faced by people living in rural areas of California due to gaps in computing and other infrastructure facilities. As side hobbies, he likes to explore novel AI architectures and write speculative fiction.

Peiyao Liu
PhD Student

Peiyao is a PhD student in Computational Media. Her research interests are user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design, public relations, and computer-mediated communication. Her work delves into the intersection of technology, society, and design, focusing on critical issues like digital colonialism. Before joining the lab, she received her Master of Science in Communications and a Bachelor of Fine Art in Animation Design. She enjoys playing video games, building Legos, and watching science fiction TV series in her free time.