About Me

Hi, I am Zhanming /zɑːn miŋ/ Chen (陈展明). I am a Ph.D. student of the Human Factors and Ergonomics program and CoLab at the College of design, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. My adviser is Professor Ji Youn Shin.

I currently focus on equity and development topics in the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and social computing. My goal is to apply participatory design approaches to reduce the "jam" moments (barriers and frustrations) in the daily life of underserved communities.

My perspective is shaped by my previous 26 years in Guangzhou, a city defined by its fascinating fusion of cultures and languages. Immersed in its diversity, I developed an early interest in social equity, volunteering for low-socioeconomic populations and senior communities. Before starting my graduate studies, I worked in the fast-paced tech industry as a Game Designer at Tencent and as a Digital Marketing Specialist at NetEase and Times China.

While I loved the craft of engaging users, I wanted to apply those skills in contexts often overlooked by the industry. Holding the spark of "tech for good," I pivoted from analyzing consumer behavior to understanding human needs and moved to Minnesota to design supportive technologies for local underserved communities. I am also serving as a board member of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) UMN Student Chapter.

In my spare time, I love chasing the "golden hour" through a camera lens, humming country and folk songs while playing guitar, and feeling healthier as I cycle around the Twin Cities.