Hi I’m Dr. Simone Smarr,
I’m a researcher, mentor, and designer focused on creating technology and learning experiences that center people, their goals, their needs, and their real lives.
Whether mentoring new researchers or developing tools that adapt to how people learn best, I’m always asking: How can we make technology more responsive to the people it’s meant to serve?
I’m passionate about research that bridges disciplines, prioritizes lived experience, and drives meaningful change. And if you’re interested in collaboration, let’s connect!
About Me
I’m a human-centered computing researcher, educator, and builder of ideas that prioritize people over products. My work lives at the intersection of computing, learning, and design, shaped by the belief that impact should never be an afterthought to innovation.
Whether I’m developing adaptive learning tools, mentoring emerging researchers, or collaborating across disciplines, I lead with the question: What does this make possible for the people it’s meant to serve?
I have a Ph.D. in Human-Centered Computing and a passion for UX, education, and qualitative inquiry. My work blends design and research to explore how people experience computing.
Through the Computing CHANGE Lab, I lead projects that explore not only how we can build better educational tools, but also how we can better understand the learners we serve. My work goes beyond just developing interventions, I examine learning experiences, listen closely to learners’ perspectives, and seek to contribute to the academic discourse that shapes how others research and teach.
Ideas That Move Me
My research explores how computing and education can be more human-centered, reflective, and responsive. I work across disciplines to understand and improve how people learn and experience technology.
Some of the key areas my work focuses on include:
Human-Centered Computing & UX
Designing technology with and for people, ensuring their needs, goals, and experiences are at the core.
Adaptive Learning & AI in Education
Exploring when and how AI can support learning that adapts to the whole learner — cognitively, culturally, and contextually
Computing Education
Studying how students engage with computer science concepts and how we can improve teaching practices to support them. Specifically by increasing engagement during learning.
Qualitative & Design-Based Research
Centering learner voices to understand what supports engagement, and using those insights to shape interventions or rethink approaches
A Glimpse Into My Work
Curious about my background, publications, and projects? You can request my full CV or explore my research contributions on Google Scholar.
Simone Smarr, PhD 