Welcome!
I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Information. I co-direct the REALITY Lab, which centers research at the intersection of social justice, information, and technology.
About Me
I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Information, with affiliations with the Center for Research to Community Impact and the Texas Center for Disability Studies. I also serve as a faculty cadre member in the National Disability Center for Student Success. Alongside Dr. Angela D. R. Smith, I co-direct the Research on Equity, Access, and incLusIon in Technology and societY Lab (REALITY Lab).
My research is at the intersection of human-computer interaction, AI, accessibility, and STEM education. I research the social and technological barriers faced by underserved communities, particularly individuals with disabilities and older adults, and design, develop, and evaluate interventions aimed at eliminating these barriers. My current research focuses on developing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots designed to promote generative AI literacy among adults aged 65 and older.
My secondary research looks at the design, implementation, and deployment of interventions for increasing the awareness, interest, and self-efficacy of K-16 students in pursuing careers in user experience (UX) design and research. I’m interested in teaching students inclusive design principles to inform the development of more inclusive products, with a primary focus on accessible user experiences.
Research
If you are interested in seeing more of my work, please refer to my CV.
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Our work looks at the application of AI to improve teaching and learning outcomes in K-16 education. Additionally, we look at how we can empower people with AI literacy to leverage the latest in AI-powered technology to serve their personal interests.
Publications
Tanksley, T., Smith, A. D. R., Sharma, S. & Huff Jr., E. W. (2025, May). “Ethics is not neutral”: Understanding Ethical and Responsible AI Design from the Lenses of Black Youth. In Proceedings of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (in press).
Ko, G., Nanayakkara, S., & Huff Jr, E. W. (2025, May). “We need to avail ourselves of [GenAI] to enhance knowledge distribution”: Empowering Older Adults through GenAI Literacy?. In Extended Abstracts of the 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems Extended Abstracts [in press].
Sharma, S. & Huff, E. (2024). AI-Based Applications in Higher Education: A Literature Review. Paper presented at the 2024 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. AERA Online Paper Repository
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We examine current designs in e-learning education that limit or deny participation or access for learners from minoritized identities. For example, while e-learning provides a flexible and convenient alternative to in-person classroom instruction, further research is needed to assess the usability and accessibility of e-learning technologies for persons with disabilities.
Publications
Huff Jr, E. W. (2025). Accessible LMS Design for Blind and Low-Vision Learners. The Journal on Technology and Persons with Disabilities, 12.
Huff, E. (2023). Accessible E-Learning Through Story-based Participatory Design for Persons with Vision Impairments. Human-Centered Design and User Experience, 114(114).
Huff, E., & Brinkley, J. (2023). PERCEPTIONS OF READINESS FOR ONLINE LEARNING BETWEEN SIGHTED AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS. In EDULEARN23 Proceedings (pp. 3747-3755). IATED.
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As jobs in the tech industry (including UX design) surge in availability, the number of eligible candidates to fill such jobs do not meet the demand. Research points to the lack of diversity in the candidate pool. Thus, efforts should be made to include people from historically underrepresented groups in STEM careers, starting at the K-16 level.
Publications
Smith, T. M., Huff, E. W., & Murugu, H. (2025, June). The Shift Towards Inclusion and Accessibility: The Impact of Inclusive Design on UX Career Preparation. In 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition.
Cummings, R. T.,Huff, E. W., Mack, N. A., Womack, K., Reid, A., Ghoram, B., Gosha, K., Gilbert, J. E. (2020). An Exploration of Black Students Interacting with Computing College and Career Readiness Vlog Commentary Social Media Influencers. Computing in Science & Engineering, vol. 22, no. 5, pp. 29-40, 1 Sept.-Oct. 2020, doi: 10.1109/MCSE.2020.3005635.
Gosha, K., Kannan, V., Morgan, L., & Huff Jr., E.W.. (2019). Strategic Partnerships to Enhance Data Structures and Algorithms Instruction at HBCUs. In 2019 ACM Southeast Conference (ACMSE 2019), April 18-20, 2019, Kennesaw, GA, USA. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 4 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3299815.3314457
Teaching
INF 385T Inclusive Design for Accessible Technology
Fall 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025
This project-based course provides a practical approach to designing technology, focusing on accessibility. Students will learn how to apply inclusive design principles to inform the design and development of accessible technology by understanding and leveraging the needs of people with disabilities. This course will prepare students with the foundational knowledge to examine technology from an accessibility design perspective.
I 310U Introduction to User Experience Design
Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025
This course introduces students to foundational knowledge, methods and skills for designing human-centered user experience (UX) around interactive systems. Students will become familiar with user research, concept generation, and design methodologies such as sketching, storyboarding, wireframing, prototyping etc. In addition, students will also learn how to collaborate in a team setting, communicate design rationales, and present compelling narratives about their work. The class will be structured with lectures as well as hands-on design activities, projects and design critiques.
I 320J Topics in Social Justice Informatics: Understanding Disability and Accessibility
Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025
Introduction to thinking critically about disability in the context of information and communication technology. Students will learn to understand the research, design, and evaluation of technology for people with disabilities. Students will be prepared to apply their knowledge of accessibility and disability to assess potential barriers in design and develop solutions.
Contact Me
Interested in working with me? For students interested in working with me, please complete the REALITY Lab Interest Form. All other inquiries can be sent to my email: ewhuff@utexas.edu