Gary Hsieh

Gary Hsieh is a Professor in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering and an Adjunct Professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, with affiliation to the Center for an Informed Public. His interdisciplinary work bridges computing, psychology, and communication to develop prosocial technologies.

He received his PhD in Human-Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University's School of Computer Science, building foundational expertise that informs his current research trajectory. Prior academic appointments include faculty positions at Michigan State University with joint appointments in Communication and Media and Information.

His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction and Social Computing, specifically designing technologies that foster self- and welfare-improving interactions. Key application areas include behavior change systems, online support and Q&A platforms, and civic/local participation tools, drawing from psychological, economic, and communication theories to address real-world challenges in health, community engagement, and social equity.

Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2023-2025) reveals strong trends in generative AI integration for design processes and health applications, with significant emphasis on conversational agents for behavior change and clinical support. Approximately 40% of recent work applies HCI principles to health contexts including burn recovery (BurnCORE), depression management in cancer care (SCOPE), and social determinants of health screening, while other strands explore AI-assisted design tools like Paper2Card for translating research into practice.

His scientific contributions have been recognized with multiple prestigious awards:

• Best Paper Award at CHI 2023
• Best Paper Award at CUI 2021
• Best Paper Award at CHI 2019
• Best Paper Award at CSCW 2016
• Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2012
• Best Paper Honorable Mention at CHI 2011
• Best Paper Award at AOM 2007

Professor Hsieh maintains an active advising practice with 4 current PhD students and 15 graduated advisees (7 PhD, 8 Master's), while securing substantial research funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, Fulbright, and industry partners including Microsoft, Google, Intel, and Philips Healthcare. His translational research approach bridges academic innovation with practical implementation through partnerships with clinical and community organizations.

He leads the Prosocial Computing Group, which develops and evaluates technologies for positive social impact, and maintains strong collaborations with the UW ALACRITY Center and Institute of Translational Health Sciences for health-focused projects.