Who We Are

Lab Director

Colin M. Gray, Ph.D.

Colin M. Gray is an Assistant Professor at Purdue University in the Department of Computer Graphics Technology and a Fellow in the Educational Research and Development Incubator. He holds a PhD in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University Bloomington, a MEd in Educational Technology from University of South Carolina, and a MA in Graphic Design from Savannah College of Art & Design. He has worked as an art director, contract designer, and trainer, and his involvement in design work informs his research on design activity and how design capability is learned. His work crosses multiple disciplines, including engineering education, instructional design and technology, design theory and education, and human-computer interaction.

Research interests: Design cognition, human-computer interaction, user experience (UX) design, design education, design methods, design ethics, critical pedagogy, identity formation, studio pedagogy, critique.

Graduate Students

Shruthi Chivukula (PhD)

Shruthi is a PhD student in Technology. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Design from Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati. Before coming to Purdue, she worked as UX researcher and designer in Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore-India for two years. She is working as a research assistant on an NSF-funded project regarding Dark Patterns in UX Design. Her previous work can be seen in her portfolio.

Research Interests: Design methodologies, Design thinking, UX Design, Human-Computer Interaction

Undergraduate Students

Jingle Chen

Jingle Chen was born and raised in Beijing, China for 18 years, and now attends Purdue University. He is currently a sophomore pursuing a degree in User Experience Design with minors in Psychology, Communication, and Mathematics. Currently, he is working as an Undergraduate Research Assistance on the NSF-funded Dark Patterns Project. You can contact Jingle at chen2287@purdue.edu.

Research Interests:
UX Design, design ethics, design methodology & philosophy, human-computer interaction, tangible and embodied interaction

Rhea Manocha

Rhea Manocha is a sophomore at Purdue University pursuing a degree in User Experience Design with a minors in Psychology, Management, and Computer Science. She is currently working as an Undergraduate Research Assistant on the NSF-funded Dark Patterns project. Her work can be found at rheamanocha.me and she can be reached by email at rmanocha@purdue.edu.

Research Interests:

UX Design, ethics in design, instructional design, collaboration

Kassandra Melkey

Kassandra Melkey is studying User Experience Design at Purdue University, and plans to graduate in May 2020. She specializes in user research and information architecture, and is minoring in communications. She is currently working as an Undergraduate Research Assistant on the NSF-funded Dark Patterns project. Her work can be found at kassandramelkey.com and she can be reached by email at kmelkey@purdue.edu.

Research Interests:

UX Design, ethics in design, instructional design, collaboration

Lab Alumni

Postdoc

MS

  • Chris Rhys Watkins (MS; 2017-2019) – TBA
  • Shreya Randive (MS; 2019) – TBA

BS