Colin Gray Associate Professor, UX Design Program Lead (currently on leave) (pronouns: he/him)

Dr. Gray has worked as an art director, contract designer, and trainer, and his continued involvement in design work informs his research on design activity and how it is learned. His research focuses on the development of design ability, including how designers remain competent over time and practice in ethically-centered and socially responsible ways. His work spans multiple areas, including human-computer interaction, criticality and ethics, design theory and education, and instructional design. [lab website]

Rua Williams Assistant Professor (pronouns: they/them)

Dr. Williams researches interactions between technology design, computing research practices, and Disability Justice. They earned their PhD in Human Centered Computing from the University of Florida studying under Dr. Juan E. Gilbert. They have over 10 years of industry experience in video game development, system design, and 3D modeling and animation. [website]

Paul Parsons Associate Professor, UX Design Interim Program Lead (pronouns: he/him)

Dr. Parsons has a background in computer science and cognitive science. His previous work experience includes working as a research scientist with IBM Research in Canada. His research focuses on designing interactive tools and interfaces that augment human cognition. His work spans multiple areas, including human-computer interaction, information visualization, applied cognition, and learning technologies. [website]

Austin Toombs Assistant Professor (pronouns: he/him)

Dr. Toombs has a background in computer science and human-computer interaction design. His research focuses on the impact that digital technologies have on how communities are formed and maintained. In recent projects, he has studied the maker, hacker, and DIY communities through both physical and digital ethnographies, the participatory design of hackathon-like events, communities of new parents, and large-scale listserv communication analyses. [website]

Nancy Rasche Assistant Professor of Practice (pronouns: she/her)

Prof. Rasche leads the UX Experience Studios, which are team project-based learning experiences that connect students with industry projects throughout all four years of their college career. Her research is in the area of front-end design and development of enterprise software solutions. She currently works with Ford Motor Company to assist in the design of solutions that will improve efficiency by simplifying workflow and improving consumption of complex information. [website]