ellensimpson

I am a recent PhD graduate from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Information Science. I currently am a Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science, working with Dr. Mona Sloane.

Click here if you’d like to learn more about my postdoctoral work!

My research focuses on how digital technologies reimagine the personal and sociotechnical routines of people to help better inform the future design of technology. Through focusing on how sociotechnical systems are shaping people’s routine behaviors, I investigate how these systems lead people to grow routinely as individuals and as a community, and how people routinely address gaps in sociotechnical systems to support their routines and the routines of their communities. I explore how people work to improve, adapt, and transform sociotechnical systems for themselves and others in ways that push back against the normative logics embedded into their design and functionality to build more resilient and joyful communities. These efforts further a more equitable and just experience with technology for all individuals and communities.

I have published at top-tier peer reviewed computing venues, including first author papers at Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), and the International Conference on Supporting Group Work (GROUP). My work has also been published in top peer-reviewed journals, including New Media and Society and Policy & Internet. At GROUP ’23, I received a Best Paper Award, one of two best paper awards given and at CHI ‘25, I received an honorable mention (top 5% of all papers) for my research about Inspiration and Creative Identity.

To date, I have published eleven full papers, six of which are first author papers, and one of which is an equal contribution between the first three authors. In HCI and Social Computing disciplines, conference publications are as impactful as journal publications. According to Google Scholar, as of September ‘24, I have a citation count of 521 and an h-index of 11. My publications appear on syllabi at The University of Colorado Boulder, University College London, Northeastern University, The University of California Los Angeles, The University of Washington, and The TikTok Cultures Research Network Initiative. My publications are listed here.

Information about my previous projects, including my books and screen writing, are listed on my projects page.

To read a full draft of my current research statement, please click here.

To learn more about my teaching and commitment to being an educator, please visit my teaching page.