Virginia Tech

U.S.A.

Process, Preference, and Performance: The Role of Ethnicity and Socio-Economic Status in Computer Interface Metaphor Design

My research interests include: Human Factors, Human-Computer Interaction, Digital Government, Digital Divide and Cross-Cultural Research.

Latin America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States

I am currently a PhD candidate studying Human Factors Engineering in the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech. I received my B.S. degree of Industrial Engineering in 1999 from Morgan State University. Upon completion of my B.S. degree, I was awarded a five year fellowship from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to pursue a PhD in Industrial Engineering. While pursuing a PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering at Virginia Tech, I earned a Master’s degree with a concentration in Human Factors Engineering in 2002. As I progressed in my studies, I was granted a Ford Dissertation Fellowship for the 2005-2006 academic school year. At the present time, I am working on the completion of my dissertation work focused in the area of Human-Computer Interaction.

Throughout my tenure as a graduate student at Virginia Tech, I have participated in a myriad of graduate education and leadership enrichment programs. One graduate certificate program in particular, “Preparing the Future Professoriate” offered by Virginia Tech’s Graduate School, has played a critical role in shaping my thoughts about my career, and the role that I will play as a teacher and researcher. The coursework and opportunities presented in this certificate program have brought to light the advantages of problem solving with the use of academically and culturally diverse teams of scholars. Hence, the objective of the Institute on International Digital Government Research is a living example of the professional and academic philosophy that I would like to espouse. As I move forward in my career, my desire is to always consider the impact of diverse perspectives in the application of my teaching and research.

My present interest in the field of digital government involves the development and implementation of design models that will promote effective (easy to use) interface designs for government sponsored online services. More specifically, my focal concern is to develop design models that will accommodate the needs and preferences of demographically and culturally diverse (and geographically dispersed) groups of users. In addition, as a Human Computer Interaction researcher, I have a personal interest in uncovering the issues that hinder the use of online products and services for those who are deemed as “not technologically savvy.”

In the development of these design models for online government products and services, I am interested in aggregating theories from a broad spectrum of disciplines (e.g., cross-cultural psychology, public administration, human factors, computer science, engineering, etc.). Integration of applicable theories into a single model (or a set of models) will offer a more comprehensive approach to accessing the needs and preferences of both the involved government entities and the end-users of the online products and services.