Karon MacLean

Karon MacLean is a Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia (UBC), with degrees in Biology and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford (BSc) and MIT (MSc/PhD). She previously worked as a robotics engineer at the University of Utah and as a haptics researcher at Interval Research Corporation. At UBC since 2000, she directs the Designing for People Research Cluster and the CREATE graduate training program, which spans 11 departments across 5 faculties.

Her research focuses on haptic interaction design for human-computer interfaces, emphasizing cognitive, sensory, and affective aspects. Applications include:

• Robotic interfaces
• Handheld devices
• Embedded computing environments

Key research areas:

• Continuous/expressive control systems
• Low-attention interfaces
• Power-efficient haptic devices
• Standardized evaluation methods

Scientific awards include:

• IEEE Fellow
• CHI Best Paper Awards (multiple)
• NSERC Collaborative Research Grant
• UBC Killam Fellowship

She leads the SPIN Lab (Sensory Perception and Interaction Research Group) and has advised over 20 graduate students and research trainees.