Shaundra Daily

The LIFT Lab in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is recruiting a PhD student to study human-centered technology and the information conditions that help people thrive around technical systems. The research combines technical system-building with close attention to how people experience and interact with those systems. A central focus is the design of technically grounded learning environments and the development of tools that support the people who help others learn and work with technology, including mentors, instructors, and coaches. The student may also investigate the relational and emotional dimensions of technical work, including ways to measure and support these experiences. Entrepreneurship and venture-building are another important theme, considered as mechanisms for expanding individual agency and translating research-informed tools into broader impact. This opportunity suits a hybrid thinker and builder who wants to connect human-centered inquiry with practical technology development. The lab provides an interdisciplinary setting spanning human-computer interaction, human-centered computing, learning, psychology, engineering, and entrepreneurship.