Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego
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Qualcomm Institute, University of California San Diego
Director
Neurodiversity in Tech Internship Program
Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC San Diego
Program Coordinator
BA in Speculative Design 2023, UC San Diego
Associate Professor of Education Studies
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Professor of Philosophy
Director, UC San Diego Center for Research and Evaluation
Evaluation Specialist
Interactive Media and Game Design student at University of Southern California
BA 2024, University of Southern California
BA 2023, UC San Diego
Masters Student, CSE Department, UC San Diego
BS 2022, UC Irivine
BA 2023, UC San Diego
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC San Diego
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, UC San Diego
Our professional mentors from Ubisoft and others in leading game industry positions, provide the interns with both technical advice (e.g., programming, audio processing, production, technical design) and an introduction to how the game industry operates (e.g., scheduling, client relationships, defining scope, roles in the game industry, minimum viable product, etc.)
Neurodiversity Initiative Lead
Senior Software Engineer & Game Designer
Production Manager
Generalist Programmer
Technical Designer
Music Library Dev
Neurodiversity in Tech, Qualcomm Institute
University of California San Diego | Copyright 2022 – All Rights Reserved
Pamela directs the NDTech internship and also conducts research on tech tools to help neurodiverse individuals transition to the workforce. As the mother of four sons, one of whom is on the spectrum, she is passionate about helping the neurodiverse achieve their potential.
Emmet graduated in 2023 from UC San Diego with a BA in Speculative Design, an interdisciplinary major that incorporates visual arts and design principles with various aspects of STEM research, computer science, and emerging technological developments. He is a graphic designer, digital and physical media artist, and writer.
Emmet is planning to find a career in adaptive game design using UI/UX as well as narrative and world building structures to make games more accessible. He was a recipient of the 2023 UC San Diego Speculative Fiction Writing Award. He has worked in childcare and education positions for neurodiverse children and students as well as a swim coach and surf instructor for neurodiverse and disabled athletes.
Along with being a coach for the 2024 Intern Program, Emmet is also the Program Coordinator. He was also a coach in 2023 for the team that created Hue Hunt and was a designer on the 2022 Intern team that created the Star Swap game.
Shana creates the professional development content for the internship Lunch and Learn sessions, and conducts the interactive sessions with the interns.
Sujit conducts research on capturing and analyzing behavior using LiDAR sensors.
Craig is in charge of the ethics and policy aspects of our research program. https://www.craigcallender.com/
Georgia is responsible for evaluating the internships. This involves doing pre- and post-surveys of the interns, and analyzing the data, as well as getting feedback from the clients, coaches, and other participants.
Monica is responsible for evaluating the internships. This involves doing pre- and post-surveys of the interns, and analyzing the data, as well as getting feedback from the clients, coaches, and other participants.
Caroline Zhou is graduating from the University of Southern California in May 2024 with a BA in Interactive Media and Game Design. She is a level designer with a background in art, and makes games that will leave a positive lasting impression on its players.
Omkar is a first year Masters student at University of California, San Diego in the Computer Science and Engineering Department. His specialization is in Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision.
Chris Fernando has a degree in Computer Engineering and has experience in programming and circuit design. He has worked with fellow Computer Engineers and programmers on projects related to IoT, robotics, and game design. In addition, he has worked with and led autistic adults in his Eagle Project for TERI, an organization based in Oceanside that helps neurodiverse adults develop social skills.
Saygin studies gaze behavior and head orientation of neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals in immersive environments. He is creating VR mock job interview applications.
Onur develops algorithms for estimating body and head orientation from LiDAR data, and studies pose differences between neurotypical and neurodivergent individuals during conversations.
We congratulate Jada on getting her PhD! She studied pre-employment screening tools, in particular their history, ethics, and impact on the neurodiverse. She is currently a Neuroethics Fellow at Cleveland Clinic and an incoming Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Ohio State University (starting August 2024).
Matt is a Senior Software Engineer and Game Designer. I thrive on making impactful software with creative individuals in adaptable teams, and I’m interested in the intersection of STEM education, gaming, and storytelling.