Carnegie Mellon University, PA
United States
Research Areas
Robots
Biography
Jodi Forlizzi was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. She received a BFA in Illustration from the Philadelphia College of Art, and then went on to complete her master’s degree in Interaction Design (1997) and her self-defined Ph.D. in Design in Human-Computer Interaction (2007) at Carnegie Mellon University. While still in her undergraduate years, she began working as an Information Designer for the School of Engineering and Applied Science at UPenn from 1985 to 1995. From 1986 to 1996 she also served as the Founder of Inks Creative Services in Philadelphia. Before completing her master’s degree, she began working as a Design Researcher for the Novum Design Center at CMU until 1997. From 1998 to 1999, she worked as the Innovator and Project Manager of E-Lab LLC in Chicago. Starting in early 2000, she joined the faculty at CMU as an Assistant Professor of the HCI Institute and School of Design, eventually moving up to her current position as Full Professor in 2014. Forlizzi’s other work experience includes serving as Consultant for several major companies and organizations, including Willow Garage and Disney Research.
Forlizzi’s research interests include interaction design and human-computer interaction, assistive, social, and aesthetic technology projects and systems, and notification systems.
Interview Synopsis
In this interview, Jodi Forlizzi discusses her early involvement with robotics and her eventual career in human-robot interaction. She outlines her work at UPenn and CMU, as well as her involvement in various projects and companies. Commenting on the many challenges and breakthroughs throughout her career, she reflects on the evolution and future of the field as a whole.
