Community-Engaged Research in Autism and ADHD Technologies
My research has focused on the development and evaluation of technologies to support people with autism and ADHD and their families, friends, and allies.
IPaT Distinguished Alumna Talk
Speaker: Gillian R. Hayes, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and the Robert A. and Barbara L. Kleist Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine.
Abstract: For over two decades, my research has focused on the development and evaluation of technologies to support people with autism and ADHD and their families, friends, and allies. This work, grounded in community-engaged research, reflects a commitment to creating tools that are not only effective but are co-designed with and evaluated by the people who will use them—children, families, educators, and clinicians. From wearable devices to ubiquitous technologies for classrooms and homes, from individual focused to societal and structural interventions, from studying to designing to deploying, the research of my group has spanned a variety of approaches to understanding and supporting the neurodivergent experience. Throughout this journey, the importance of long-term, sustained partnerships has been paramount. This approach ensures that the technologies we create are deeply relevant to the contexts in which they are deployed, while also addressing the ethical challenges that come with designing for vulnerable and minoritized populations. Community-engaged research is messy and fraught with systemic barriers, including publication biases and the complexities of maintaining relationships over time. Despite these challenges, the outcomes have been profound, with technological innovations leading to real-world impact.
In this talk, I will explore the trajectory of this work, emphasizing key milestones in the development of autism and ADHD technologies. I will also reflect on the lessons learned from twenty years of community-engaged research, including the balance between scientific rigor and ethical responsibility, and the role that interdisciplinary partnerships play in making this work possible. Ultimately, this talk will underscore the critical role of community-driven innovation in shaping the future of technology for our increasingly neurodiverse world.
Bio: Gillian R. Hayes is the Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and the Robert A. and Barbara L. Kleist Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine. She also holds joint appointments in Computer Science and in the School of Education and School of Medicine. Her research interests are in human-computer interaction, ubiquitous computing, assistive and educational technologies, and health informatics. She co-directs the CERES global research network focused on child development and technology, is an elected board member of the Computing Research Association, and has the pleasure of serving on the advisory boards for both Human-Centered Design and Engineering at the University of Washington and the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech. She is a proud Tech alumna and very much looking forward to spending the day with IPaT:GVU friends, new and old.
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IPaT's fall 2024 lunch lecture calendar and lecture/talk (day of) streaming info can be found here: https://research.gatech.edu/ipat/lunch-lectures.
The IPaT: GVU Lunch Lecture Series is free and features guest speakers presenting on topics related to people-centered technologies and their impact on society. Lunch is provided at 12:00 p.m. and the talks begin at 12:30 p.m. Join us weekly or watch video replays.
