Collaborating with and advising junior scholars is one of my favorite parts of my job.

Postdoctoral Researchers

I’m currently supervising cultural anthropologist Boh Chun, who joined the interdisciplinary Living and Working with Robots project as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in late 2022. The call for applications was originally posted April 1, 2022 with a start date in Fall 2022.

I view postdocs as valued collaborators who are able to rapidly contribute to existing projects, eventually developing and leading robust independent projects in coordination with me and my faculty collaborators. These scholars bring deep existing expertise and value the opportunity to develop new skills and professional connections on projects of mutual interest. Postdocs will be provided with funds to support their research and the dissemination travel required to achieve high visibility. To the extent possible, I like my postdocs to have access to a cohort of peers for networking and peer mentorship, in addition to formal mentorship from me and from other faculty colleagues directly involved in our joint research projects.

If you are a recent or expected doctoral graduate interested in embodied sociotechnical systems via campus-scale robot deployments, please get in touch with me at eah13 at utexas.edu.

Doctoral Students

My current doctoral advisees include Yao-Cheng Chan and Angjelin Hila. I serve on several doctoral committees at the UT iSchool, Mechanical Engineering, Nursing, and Communication Studies.

I am recruiting doctoral students to work with me on several of my research projects. My goal for all of my students is a powerful combination of social and technical expertise enabling cutting-edge research on sociotechnical systems. The interdisciplinary combination of skills I target for students at the end of their studies is difficult to come by in undergraduate or masters-level study, so my students usually have deep social scientific OR technical training, with a demonstrated and developing interest in the area they’re less familiar with. For instance, students might have a humanities background and a developing interest in programming interactive fiction; others might have studied computer science but completed training in sociology or anthropology. That said, there are many paths to the field of information, and I welcome inquiries from potential students of any background. If you reach out, please include a paragraph or so about your research interests, the overlap you see with my work, and a CV or resume, to eah13 at utexas.edu.

If you’re interested in working with me as a doctoral student, make sure to include my name in the list of faculty you’d like to work with on the UT iSchool’s doctoral application. Make sure to select one or more other iSchool faculty members as well. I highly recommend elaborating on how the faculty you’ve chosen fit your interests somewhere in your narrative application materials.

My approach to doctoral advising is holistic and structured. I share a variety of resources, skills, and knowledge with my students that have helped me along my scholarly journey. More importantly, I help guide students to build their own set of tools for success as they continue their careers. I draw heavily from the excellent resources created by the National Center for Faculty Diversity and Development (facultydiversity.org), which students will receive access to upon joining UT Austin. I utilize a selection of these resources as an informal core curriculum of academic success skills, such as strategic planning, cultivating a mentorship network, and working through resistance to writing. I will suggest other resources relevant to students’ concerns or specific issues as needed.

Doctoral study is a wonderful opportunity to learn to do advanced research and develop expertise in a topic you are passionate about. It is in most cases only appropriate for students seeking careers in academic or industry research. Doctoral students at UT Austin are provided with a mixture of fellowship, research, and teaching-based funding, so in most cases students will have little to no out of pocket expenses for their research activities. Even though most students can cover modest living expenses during doctoral study via their stipends, there is always a financial opportunity cost of studying compared to working. It’s important to me that all of my students understand the career choices they’re making and are fully informed when they do so. I’m happy to discuss this with any prospective student so that they can feel confident in entering doctoral study, at UT Austin or elsewhere.

As students near the end of their doctoral study, I will assist them in locating and applying for job targets that fit their goals and interests.

I also periodically supervise doctoral students in directed readings or research on topics or projects of mutual interest, regardless of whether I’m their formal advisor. If you’re an existing iSchool or UT Austin doctoral student interested in working with me in this way please reach out.

Masters Students

Each year I am faculty mentor to several masters students at the UT Austin iSchool. If you’re one of my advisees, welcome!

I occasionally work with masters students on my research via independent studies. If you believe my research interests and your goals overlap, please email me at eah13 at utexas.edu to discuss whether an independent project might be appropriate. Students who have completed independent studies with me may be eligible for paid research positions, when available.