Multiple Fully-funded PhD Positions in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) at University of California, Merced (Winter/Fall 2018)

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Application deadline: Rolling application review until further notice

(Unfunded MSc positions are also available, where students are responsible for securing financial support through Teaching Assistantships, Fellowships, Student Loans, or other resources. Visit the following link for more information: Graduate Student Financial Support. Email me if interested.)

I am seeking applications for multiple fully-funded PhD students to start either in January 2018 (Winter) or September 2018 (Fall). Broadly, the students will work in the area of "Input and Interaction Techniques and Technologies". Specific topics within this could include the design, development, and evaluation of novel:

• Smart text entry, editing, and error correction techniques
• Scientific data visualization and manipulation with tangible user interfaces
• Interaction approaches for new technologies, including smartphone, smartwatches, AR and VR
• Interaction methods for special user groups, including children, elderly, and users with special needs
• User authentication approaches that are both secure and user friendly

Successful applicants will join my newly founded HCI Lab in EECS at the University of California, Merced. UC Merced the newest of the 10 UC campuses, located in Merced, about 190 km east of Silicon Valley and 440 km north of Los Angeles.

Lab Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must have:

• Backgrounds in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, HCI, Interaction Design, or Digital Media. Applicants from other areas will be considered if they can demonstrate sufficient experience or interest in HCI
• Strong skills in Computer and Web programming
• The ability to work individually or in a team
• Excellent English language skills

Desirable criteria:

• Strong skills in either Interaction design or quantitative research methods (i.e., experiment design, hypothesis testing)
• At least one refereed publication
• Good presentation skills

In addition, the Graduate Division requires the following (let me know if you do not have the GRE and the TOEFL/IELTS scores, but planning on taking the exams soon):

• A baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (B)
• The general test of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
• TOEFL/IELTS score
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Personal history and achievement/contributions

If you meet the requirements and interested in the position, explore my recent publications and contact me at with your CV, unofficial transcripts, research statement, GRE and TOEFL/IELTS score if a specific area(s) interests you. Explore the following links further details on how to apply and application requirements:

• Application Dates
• Academic and Application Requirements
• Requirements and Regulations for International Students
• Application Frequently Asked Questions
• Office of the Registrar – Graduate Studies

About UC Merced

The University of California is creating a dynamic new university campus and campus community in Merced, California, which opened in September 2005 as university built in the 21st century. In keeping with the mission of the University to provide teaching, research and public service of the highest quality, UC Merced the tenth campus of the University of California and the first American research will be providing new educational opportunities at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels through three academic schools Engineering; Natural Sciences; and, Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts.

The School of Engineering is proud of its faculty’s accomplishments and our rapid growth. Over the past five years, undergraduate and graduate enrollments have grown by 65%. The School currently has 49 faculty members, 1,400 undergraduates, and over 140 graduate students. The campus opened a new Science and Engineering Building in 2014 and undertook a massive building program in 2017 that that will more than double the campus building areas by 2020.

Graduate Studies in EECS

Graduate studies in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS) offers individualized, strongly research-oriented courses of study. The EECS graduate emphasis area is organized to allow students to pursue cutting-edge research in modern fields of electrical engineering and computer science, emphasizing research and preparing students for leadership positions in industrial labs, government, or academia. Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees with emphases in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science are offered. The EECS graduate emphasis area is highly cross-disciplinary with connections to faculty from all three schools at UC Merced. In particular, strong collaborations with the graduate programs in environmental engineering and cognitive sciences are possible.