News Spotlight
TC Name Change, Washington Climate Report, and Faculty News

TC Takes a New Name to Reflect a Rapidly Evolving Discipline

New HCDE Assistant Professor Julie Kientz (center) meets with graduate students Dawn Sakaguchi (left) and Sajanee Haiko.

First-year graduate students Dawn Sakaguchi and Sajanee Halko are excited about conducting research in the hot fields of human-computer interaction and user-centered design. And they are happy that their future diplomas will record their discipline as Human Centered Design & Engineering. This is the new name for Technical Communication, a 20-year-old engineering department at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field centered on the technologies that are revolutionizing personal and business communications.

“Computing is moving off desktops and into mobile computers and handheld devices such as smart phones, and is becoming embedded in everyday technologies,” said Jan Spyridakis, professor and chair of the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE). “The field is much broader than our original focus on writing, editing, and creating user manuals. Our graduates are designing and engineering communication solutions that work for individuals and communities in varying social and cultural environments.”

Alumni are working in usability evaluation, product development, game design, and software user assistance. “People are jazzed about the new name. Now the degree title will better match our students’ knowledge sets,” Spyridakis said.

The new name reflects departmental research and academic programs. Research interests of new faculty span the use of computers in the developing world and of technology in doctor-patient relationships, engineering education, and human-computer interaction — the latter an important new direction for department research.

“The recent 10-year review of our program says it is one of the best, if not the best of its kind in the country,” said Dean Matthew O’Donnell. “The new name reflects what our alumni, faculty, and students really do.”

The curriculum is increasingly interdisciplinary and includes new courses on cognitive aspects of communication systems and on qualitative evaluation of how users behave in their own environments, which involves anthropological-style observations.

The department is collaborating on human-computer interaction with three other units across campus — the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, the Information School, and the Division of Design in the School of Art. They have jointly established an undergraduate concentration in this field.

HCDE will offer bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees, and, through UW Educational Outreach, an evening masters degree and certificate programs in user-centered design and in technical writing and editing.

Climate Change Report Paints Stark Picture

The climate model predicts an 11.7% average increase in precipitation for the state, but the areas in brown will be drier than that and the areas in green will be wetter.

The most detailed report ever on how climate change could affect Washington paints a stark picture and provides information critical to planning for climate change over the next 50 years. The State Legislature funded the study by the UW Climate Impacts Group (CIG), led by co-principal investigators Dennis Lettenmaier, professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Edward Miles, professor of marine affairs and head of the interdisciplinary group. The report is available on CIG's web site

The study considered the impacts of climate change on human health, agriculture, energy supply and demand, and urban storm sewers and systems. Under a medium-warming scenario, energy demand for summer cooling is expected to increase 400 percent by 2040 compared to the average demand for 1971–1999.

The climate model predicts an 11.7% average increase in precipitation for the state, but the areas in brown will be drier than that and the areas in green will be wetter.

Faculty News

	Ostendorf Assumes College Leadership Role Mari Ostendorf, professor of electrical engineering, became associate dean of research and graduate studies in late 2008. She will foster multidisciplinary collaborations within and outside the college, work with new faculty to develop successful research programs, and strengthen programs to recruit and mentor top graduate students.
	Yager Named Chair of Bioengineering Paul Yager, professor of bioengineering, was appointed department chair in fall 2008. A long-time faculty member, he also holds the W. Hunter and Dorothy L. Simpson Endowed Chair and had been serving as acting chair.
	IE Now Industrial & Systems Engineering The UW Board of Regents recently approved departmental status for the Industrial Engineering program. It also has a new name — Industrial & Systems Engineering. Professor Richard Storch now holds the title of chair.