Michael Terry

Michael Terry is an Associate Professor at the Cheriton School of Computer Science, University of Waterloo. He co-directs the CS HCI Lab and Waterloo HCI consortium, and co-founded WatchPop (a smartwatch content delivery company). As of 2015, he joined Google in Cambridge, MA, while maintaining academic ties. His research focuses on interactive systems, combining HCI principles with machine learning, information retrieval, and crowdsourcing to enhance user experience in software and hardware interfaces.

Academic Background: Terry holds a PhD from Georgia Tech's College of Computing (supervised by Beth Mynatt), an MSc from Florida Tech, and a BSc from Cornell University. He has taught courses such as CS 349 (User Interfaces), CS 449 (HCI), and specialized graduate topics like Computer-Mediated Advertising.

Research Interests: Terry’s work spans HCI innovations in wearable tech (e.g., smartwatch interfaces via WatchPop), generative design systems (GEM-NI project), and tools for improving software usability through contextual memory aids (CheatSheet) and cross-application interaction (InterTwine). His projects also address challenges in web tutorials, user-generated content integration (TaggedComments), and mining online documentation for better software accessibility.

Awards and Funding: He received the 2012 MathSoc Instructor of the Year award and a Leverhulme Visiting Professorship. Research funding came from NSERC, GRAND NCE, Google, EPSRC, and others. His work has been recognized by industry collaborations with companies like Microsoft Research, Autodesk, and the Natural History Museum.

Students and Startups: Terry has advised numerous students, including PhD graduates now at Microsoft Research and Autodesk. Former students have launched startups, reflecting his emphasis on entrepreneurial HCI. His lab’s projects often translate into real-world applications, such as the Pebble Timeline Challenge-winning software from WatchPop.

Labs and Teams: Core affiliations include the CS HCI Lab and broader Waterloo HCI network, collaborating across disciplines in design, engineering, and health sciences. His research intersects with the Games Institute and specialized labs like the Technology Usability Lab in Privacy and Security.