The Games Institute acknowledges that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River.
Assistant Professor, Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business
Leah Zhang-Kennedy is an Assistant Professor in interaction design and user experience research, a member of the Games Institute and the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute. Leah's research aims to understand and improve people’s digital experiences, knowledge, and technology practices, with particular focuses on computer security, online privacy, and digital literacy. She directs the Safe Interactions Lab at the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, University of Waterloo.
In her teaching and research, Leah truly believes in an interdisciplinary approach, integrating methods and analytical frameworks from multiple disciplines to examine a topic. In particular, she is interested in the forces at play in technology, users, and experiences. As technology changes rapidly, UX design and research will inevitably evolve with it. She is excited to share what she has learned with her students, and as young people are the next generation of users and technologists, she hopes that they will have something to teach her as well.
Education
- Ph.D. (Computer Science), Carleton University, 2017
- MASc. (Human-Computer Interaction), Carleton University, 2013
- BDes. (Design), York University, 2007
Research and Teaching Interests
- UX design and research
- Digital arts and graphic design
- HCI for kids
- Usable privacy and security
Selected Design/Research Projects
- Cyberheroes: An Interactive Ebook to Educate Children about Online Privacy. View at: http://www.versipass.com/edusec/cyberheroes
- Secure Comics: A Comics Approach for Improving Cyber Security and Privacy. View at: http://www.versipass.com/edusec/securecomics
Other Interests
In her spare time, Leah likes to reconnect with her roots in art and design. She is a practicing graphic designer and a book artist that specializes in marbled paper and medieval limp-bindings.
Contact Information:
Extension:23003
Office:DMS 3126
Affiliation:
University of Waterloo