Omar Sosa-Tzec

Dr. Omar Sosa-Tzec is an Associate Professor in the School of Design at San Francisco State University, specializing in Design Foundations and Visual Communication Design. He holds a Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction Design from Indiana University, alongside advanced degrees in Information Design and Computing. His research focuses on design delight, exploring how interfaces and interactions can captivate users through semiotics, rhetoric, and aesthetics. Key themes include user experience (UX) design, information architecture, and digital well-being.

Education

• Ph.D. in Human-Computer Interaction Design, Indiana University
• MDes in Information Design, Universidad de las Américas Puebla
• MSc in Computing and Industrial Mathematics, Centro de Investigación en Matemáticas
• BSc in Computer Science, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán

Research & Awards

His work emphasizes six qualities of delightful design: engagement, surprise, liveliness, cuteness, serendipity, and reassurance. Notable awards include the Marcus Early Career Research Award and the AIGA Design Educators Fellowship. His research bridges HCI, philosophy, and multimodality, with recent projects addressing screen time visualization and UX in health technologies.

Grants & Collaborations

• MCube Grant ($60K): Multidisciplinary research on chronic disease management
• Teagle Grant ($8.5K): Curriculum redesign for design education
• UMOR Grant ($15K): Strategies for delightful UX

Teaching & Outreach

Teaching spans design methods, UX, and HCI across Mexico and the U.S. He advocates for pedagogical innovation, including visual essay sketchnoting and critical design frameworks. Public talks and workshops highlight his commitment to accessible, human-centered design.