Susan Wyche is a Computing Innovation Fellow at Virginia Tech’s Center for Human-Computer Interaction. Her research focuses on human-computer interaction, design and cultural studies of technology. In her dissertation, Wyche used religion as a lens to understand how alternative worldviews can inform design. She has explored how Muslims in Atlanta, Charismatic Pentecostals in Sao Paulo, and Protestant Christians in Nairobi, use mobile phones, computers, and the Internet to support their religious practices. Each study has resulted in a publication at top-tier conference in her field, multiple design concepts, and in one case, a mobile phone application available for download at Apple Inc.’s “App Store.”
Prior to coming to VaTech, Wyche received her PhD in Human-Centered Computing from the Georgia Institute of Technology, her master’s degree from Cornell University and her undergraduate degree in Industrial Design from Carnegie Mellon University. In addition to her academic pursuits, Wyche has professional design experience, most notably working at Libbey Inc. designing glassware and as a design researcher for S.C. Johnson Inc.