Name: McKenna Tornblad

Hometown: Portland, Oregon

Year: 3rd

Research Interests: My research interests include persuasion in cyber attacks and applications of human-robot interaction. I am especially interested in these topics as they relate to special populations, including those with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities. I don't think enough emphasis is placed on diversity in neural and physical ability in our field, and I hope that I can bring awareness to these important groups of users through my research and future career.

Career Aspirations: I hope to someday work on a design team for a company that researches, tests, and implements assistive technologies for people with disabilities. In the past few years, more and more companies are beginning to realize the importance of HF/E professionals when it comes to practical design. I am looking forward to bridging the gap between technical fields and psychology to improve the quality of life for these underserved and underresearched groups.

Fun Fact: I have four tattoos that each mark a meaningful memory or time in my life, and I'll never stop adding to my collection!

Advice to younger students: Don't be afraid to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed. All grad students are living with some level of imposter syndrome, and I can guarantee that we've been in your shoes before. Older students can be a great resource for study habits, research tips, and advice on hobbies that can help you find a healthy work-life balance. Just reach out!

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our chapter has aimed to find creative ways for our members to gather safely and  responsibly.  On Saturday, we were able to do so by having our first ever picnic at the park social! Chapter members  came together for a picnic while wearing masks and practicing social distance as much as possible. 

​After many months, it was great seeing many of our members in person and we hope to plan more safe gatherings soon!

Name: Tiffany Lui 

Hometown: Brooklyn, NY

Year in program:  4th 

Research Interests: My research interests are in vigilance and nueroergonomics. I am interested in exploring how humans are impacted when performing tasks that require extreme, sustained attention such as in baggage screening, air traffic control, and driving. Additionally, I utilize a variety of physiological tools such as transcranial doppler sonography (TCD), functional near-infrared spectroscopy, and eye tracking to gain further insight into how people are affected by such tasks. From this, we hope to create solutions that will aid people when performing these tasks. The ultimate goal is to be able to physiologically monitor people in real-time to determine when their performance will start to decline. 

Career Aspirations: I hope to work at an organization where the research I conduct will have a meaningful impact on the world and will also improve people's experiences on the products they use. I also hope to work with a variety of innovative people who also share the same goals as me. 

Fun Fact: I am in the end credits of an episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon."

Advice to younger students: Manage your time properly. There is always going to be some type of work you should be doing, but you can have time to take a mental break too! It's all about balance so check in with yourself regularly to make sure you're not burnt out.