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About Me

I am currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Southern California Institute for Creative Technologies, under the supervision of Mark Bolas. I received my Ph.D. in 2010 from the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. My dissertation, completed under the supervision of Larry F. Hodges, was entitled "Experimental Evaluation of the Cognitive Effects of Travel Technique in Immersive Virtual Environments." I received my Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Ithaca College in 2005, where I worked on various virtual reality research projects under the supervision of Sharon Stansfield.

My research interests include the design and evaluation of natural interaction techniques to improve the experience and effectiveness of real-time computing systems. For example, my work in the area of immersive virtual environments investigates the use of perceptual illusions that enable users to walk naturally through expansive virtual worlds in relatively small physical spaces. I am also keenly interested in leveraging gestural input and body motion for interactive systems such as video game applications for health, rehabilitation, training, and education.

I consider myself extremely lucky in that my chosen career also doubles as my primary hobby. I also indulge in several other personal interests when time permits, including dabbling in philosophy, tinkering with technology, and homebrewing.