Hello, I’m Irene Hou! I’m a first-year Cognitive Science PhD student in The Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), where I am advised by Dr. Philip Guo.

My research interests span Human-Computer Interaction, Human-Centered AI, and computing pedagogy. I study how generative AI systems in disciplines such as computing, science, and design can democratize learning and creativity. I’m particularly interested in computing for non-experts and participatory approaches to AI.

Previously, I was a Research Lead in Temple University’s HCI Lab, advised by Dr. Stephen MacNeil, and UX Lead at FluentPet in collaboration with the Comparative Cognition Lab. I received my B.S. from UCSD in Cognitive Science (Design and Interaction) with a minor in Computer Science. Outside of my research, I’m a fiction writer/poet and was one of America’s youngest authors at age 14.