I am a scholar in human-computer interaction and assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Department of Software and Information Systems .
I work in usable privacy and security. My focus is on understanding how people's security attitudes and social environments weigh in their decision to adopt - or not adopt - secure behaviors (such as sharing passwords securely or ignoring UX cues to scams and "fake news"). I employ a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods from social science, computer science, and design. My work also is informed by prior experiences as a journalist, IT/UX specialist, and social media manager.
In 2018-19, I created the SA-6 security attitude scale. SA-6 is a six-item, self-report measure of a person's engagement with and attentiveness to cybersecurity measures. You are free to use it with attribution. Also, see my SA-13 inventory and the associated working paper for items measuring resistance and concernedness.
Would you like to be an advisee of mine at UNC Charlotte? Please get in touch! I have mentored more than 20 students, many from outside computer science. My research examines the experiences of people who differ from the "ideal user" a system was designed for. This statement adds details about my philosophy and plans to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia.
Recent news:
- My August blog post for ACM interactions magazine's Spirituality in Design issue reflects on the seemingly conflicting currents of my Zen Buddhist faith practices and those of computing research.
- For Fall 2022 and again in Spring 2023, I am teaching the course on Usable Security and Privacy. The course number is ITIS 4420. It is designed for active learning - students read articles and watch mini-lectures before class time, then participate in activities when we meet.
- My doctoral thesis has been published by Carnegie Mellon University.