Dr. William Odom is looking for new graduate students to join our group in Fall 2023. 2 funded, competitive PhD positions are available. Masters positions are also available.
The Homeware Lab is a design research group at Simon Fraser University’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology (SIAT) at the SFU Surrey campus located in Greater Vancouver, Canada in the City of Surrey. Our group specializes in the areas of research through design, interaction design, human-computer interaction, digital fabrication, and tangible computing (among others). Our research investigates the changing nature of interaction design in response to the increasing role technology plays in mediating everyday practices like self exploration, social interaction, the making of home life, and so on. In the spirit of design research, we aim to be reflective and generative, uncovering new and emergent practices of design that help shape both design and its relation to technologies. We design new computational things and systems, and study them in the context of people’s everyday lives. We often also develop new methods for better supporting the practice of design research.
The Homeware Lab is funded through the Canada Foundation for Innovation to investigates new forms, materials, and technologies of Internet of Things artifacts. This new, state-of-the-art lab that combines equipment for digital fabrication, electronics prototyping and small batch production, finishing, and product/demo/field documentation. It is an exciting time to join our group!
We pride ourself on a strong collaborative culture with a friendly, engaging, and highly creative atmosphere. New graduate students will work on projects including topics such as: slow technology, human-nature interaction, domestic IoT, digital fabrication/new materials, AI/machine learning for self-reflection, and critical personal data literacies. Please contact Dr. William Odom at wodom@sfu.ca to express you interest in a Graduate position. PhD Full funding is commensurate with other Canadian universities and comes with a four-year commitment based on performance.
*We are currently migrating our design research portfolio to a new Homeware Lab website expected to be complete and online in early 2024.
Important Deadlines
February 1 2024 is the SFU School of Interactive Arts + Technology graduate application deadline, although you are encouraged to apply early! You can find more information here on how to formally apply:
http://www.sfu.ca/siat/grad/admissions.html