Yukang Yan

Yukang Yan is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Rochester, affiliated with the ROCHCI research group. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Augmented Perception Lab at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. He holds a PhD and Bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University.

His research focuses on Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Mixed Reality, emphasizing three interconnected threads: computational modeling of user behavior and perception, development of adaptive interfaces for bidirectional human-computer communication, and exploration of behavioral enhancements in Mixed Reality. Key areas include virtual/augmented reality interfaces, gesture-based interaction, and accessibility solutions.

His work has been recognized with awards such as the ACM CHI 2020 and 2023 Honorable Mention Awards, the IEEE VR Best Paper Nomination, and an Outstanding Doctoral Thesis award from Tsinghua University. His research bridges theoretical insights with practical applications in AR/VR systems, emphasizing user-centered design and accessibility.

Yan's contributions span over 20 peer-reviewed publications at top venues like ACM CHI, ACM UIST, and IEEE VR. His recent projects include HandAvatar (HCI 2023) for non-humanoid avatar interaction and Color-to-Depth Mappings (UIST 2022) for VR depth perception enhancements.