Speaker: Foad Hamidi, Assistant Professor in Information Systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Location: HBK 2105 and Zoom Watch Here!

Abstract: Community-based participatory design (PD) offers inclusive and exciting principles and methods for enabling mutual learning among diverse interested parties. As PD moves from the workplace to other domains, such as Do-it-Yourself (DIY) design spaces, informal learning contexts, and domestic and home settings, we need to rethink and redefine what it means to do PD and what outcomes can move us towards desired futures. In this talk, I draw on several of my recent projects where I use PD to investigate and interrogate emerging technologies, such as DIY assistive technologies and living media interfaces (LMIs).

Bio: Foad Hamidi is an Assistant Professor in Information Systems at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). His research focuses on several areas within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), including Living Media Interfaces, ParticipatoryDesign, and DIY assistive technology. He conducts transdisciplinary community-engaged research and regularly collaborates with community partners. At UMBC, he directs the DesigningpARticipatoryfuturEs (DARE) lab and the Interactive Systems Research Center (ISRC). He has a PhD in Computer Science from York University, Toronto.