Dr. Joanna McGrenere recognized for substantial contributions to the field of human-computer interaction
Professor Joanna McGrenere has been named to the ACM SIGCHI Academy Class of 2025. Each year, the Special Interest Group in Computer-Human Interaction (SIGCHI) of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) elects a small number of new members to the SIGCHI Academy. Members are selected based on significant and cumulative contributions to the field of HCI and their influence on the work of others.
"If I struggle with some feature of technology, I always wonder how other people might be using it."
~ Dr. Joanna McGrenere
Dr. McGrenere specializes in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), focusing on designing personalized user interfaces and developing interactive systems for diverse user populations, including older adults and individuals with impairments. Her research also explores how users navigate and learn to use feature-rich software. She is driven by the goal of making a tangible impact on people's lives. "If I struggle with some feature of technology, I always wonder how other people might be using it," she reflects.
As a professor at UBC, Dr. McGrenere values the opportunity to engage in meaningful research. "It's a tremendous privilege to do research that I find interesting. We don't always reach ideal design solutions, but we nonetheless make contributions in figuring out user needs and what design approaches may or may not work and why." She highlights how technological advancements and shifting user behaviours continuously present new research opportunities and ethical considerations. For instance, emerging AI technologies raise questions about not just how they can be used, but whether they should be used. Another area of exploration is how remote and hybrid work arrangements impact human relationships in increasingly digital workplaces. How can technology support rather than hinder meaningful connections for knowledge workers?
Her research is also shaped by the experiences and insights her graduate students bring into the lab. Diverse perspectives shed light on different ways that populations interact with technology, sometimes in unexpected ways. Consequently, her projects aim to address and mitigate the challenges that various user groups may face when using different forms of technology.
Importance of Students and Collaborations
Dr. McGrenere particularly enjoys mentoring her graduate students as they explore their research interests. Early-stage researchers learn to clearly define problems, formulate research questions, make critical design decisions, prototype solutions, and evaluate their efficacy. The impact of her mentorship is evident in the success of her students—among them, six former graduate students and three postdoctoral researchers have secured tenure-track faculty positions. Others have thrived in industry, working in small to large companies, as well as the public sector.
Beyond the lab, Dr. McGrenere and her students actively collaborate with academic and industry partners. She considers UBC's Department of Computer Science particularly collaborative, both within the department and across disciplines. "We have amazing researchers in a broad array of areas," she says. Students also have the option to be co-supervised by faculty from other departments, depending on their focus. Given that HCI research often has real-world applications, her work maintains strong ties to industry. She has collaborated with and received funding from major technology companies, including Microsoft, Microsoft Research, Slack, Autodesk, Samsung, Mozilla, Meta, Google, and IBM. Exciting projects with industry partners are currently underway.
Dr. McGrenere's election to the SIGCHI Academy is a testament to her enduring contributions to the field of Human-Computer Interaction. This well-deserved recognition highlights her impact on both academic research and industry innovation. Congratulations to Dr. McGrenere on this prestigious recognition!
Dr. McGrenere received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 2002. Since then, she has demonstrated consistent leadership and service in her field. She has taught at UBC since 2002 and served as Co-Head of the Department of Computer Science since 2023. She also leads the eDAPT research group, which takes a human-centred approach to designing interactive technologies tailored to individual users. Her numerous accolades include a Killam Research Prize, membership in The College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists of Canada's Royal Society, a Killam Award for Excellence in Mentoring, and the distinction of being the inaugural recipient of the Computing Research Association Women (CRA-W) Anita Borg Early Career Scholar Award.
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