William Payne

William (Willie) Payne is an Assistant Professor of User Experience and Design at the UNC School of Information and Library Science. His research focuses on technology's role in fostering creative expression and accessibility, particularly for marginalized communities. He employs participatory design to co-create systems with community partners, such as the FiLOrk ensemble for visually impaired youth and danceON, a dance-responsive creative coding tool.

Education:

• PhD in Music Technology, New York University
• BS/MS in Computer Science, University of Colorado Boulder
• BM in Music Composition, University of Colorado Boulder

Research Interests: Payne’s work bridges HCI, accessibility, and creative technologies. He emphasizes culturally responsive design, STEM education, and participatory methods. His projects include SoundCells (braille music notation software) and Cyclops (eye-controlled musical instruments).

Awards:

• Outstanding Dissertation Honorable Mention, NYU Steinhardt (2023)
• Best Technical Paper, Web4All (2022)
• Best Paper Honorable Mention, CHI (2021)

Grants & Mentorship: Payne mentors undergraduate and graduate students in accessibility research and creative tech. He collaborates with institutions like FMDG Music School and STEM From Dance. His work emphasizes disability justice and equitable STEM access.

Labs/Teams: Leads the Accessibility in Creative Technologies Lab, focusing on inclusive design in music and computing education.