Hello! I am an HCI researcher who is currently the principal of MishMashMakers, a research consultancy that (i) seeks to reduce the technology barriers that makers encounter, thus empowering non-technical users to realize their creative potential and (ii) provides academic consulting services (i.e., project management, technical writing, grant writing, copy editing, etc.).
My research has focused on how to improve our access to, and the usability of, technology. During my Post-Doc and PhD, I focused on issues related to the acquisition of new skills within the fabrication and making domain, in addition to innovations in input and interaction techniques. In the past (PhD), I focused on how multi-touch devices could be integrated into occupational and physical therapy programs and uncovered the fundamental issues with pen-based interfaces. I also know a thing or two about virtual reality (from my MSc).
I have held an NSERC-funded Post-Doctoral Fellowship in the DGP Lab at the University of Toronto with Dr. Daniel Wigdor and Dr. Tovi Grossman (who was at Autodesk Research). I received my PhD from the Department of Computer Science at the University of Alberta under the advisement of Dr. Walter F. Bischof. While at the University of Alberta, I also worked with Dr. Anoop Gupta and Dr. Paul Dietz at Microsoft Research as an intern and visiting researcher. My PhD dissertation on the challenges with pen-based input can be found here. In 2011, I was a research intern at Autodesk Research and worked with Dr. Tovi Grossman, Dr. George Fitzmaurice, and Dr. Daniel Widgor to develop a proximity-aware multi-touch tabletop (and associated interaction techniques). My MSc in Computing Science focused on virtual reality and was completed in 2009 with Dr. Bischof. A copy of my MSc thesis is available here. I completed my BSc in Computing Science in 2007.
My full CV can be found here.
*** If you are wondering if I would be a good fit to review a paper, I am comfortable reviewing: ***
- Pen computing (including touch and stylus latency, unintended touch / palm rejection, etc.)
- Digital fabrication and creativity support tools (systems to help novices more so than new 3D printing techniques)
- Livestreaming and social media
- Mobile computing (smartwatches, tablets, and mobile phones more so than head-mounted wearables)
- Applications of technology to physical and occupational therapy or rehabilitation
Outside of research, I like to make things, love Disney and LEGO, enjoy running/walking (ran my first 1/2 marathon in 2018 and my first marathon in 2020), and am an avid cross-stitcher. I am married to the wonderful Fraser Anderson, who is a Principal Research Scientist at Autodesk Research.
Contact Info:
email: michelle at mishmashmakers.com