Han Zhang

Ph.D. Candidate @ UW

I am a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, where I am fortunate to be co-advised by Jennifer Mankoff (Make4all Lab) and Anind K. Dey. Before pursing my studies in the U.S., I worked on coding theory at the Nanyang Technological University, where I had the honor of being advised by Chaoping Xing. Earlier in my academic journey, I was trained in analytic number theory.

I conduct human-centered research, where I:

study human behaviors and design AI systems that support well-being, accessibility, and learning.

My work combines techniques from human-computer interaction, machine learning, data science, and psychology to understand how people navigate daily life, model human behaviors using multimodal data with attention to their social impact, and design AI systems that address real-world needs. My ultimate goal is to create systems that are not only technically robust but also genuinely responsive to the diverse needs of individuals—ensuring technology serves as a meaningful and supportive part of everyday life.

Hover over or click on each card to learn more about my research.

Capturing & Understanding Human Life

Capture: A six-year data collection study using passive sensing data and self-reports to understand college students' daily behaviors and well-being. (E.g., [NeurIPS'22])

Understand: Gain deeper insights—both quantitative and qualitative—into student experiences and mental well-being. (E.g., [TACCESS'22], [JACH'25])

Building Human-Centered Behavioral Models

Investigate: Evaluate whether existing behavioral models align with human-centered ML principles. (E.g., [Preprint'24])

Build: Develop human-centered behavioral models that balance performance and social impact. (Upcoming CSCW paper, [IMWUT'23])

Designing AI Systems for Real-World Support

Engage: Work closely with key stakeholders to understand their needs. (E.g., [CHI'24], [CHI'25])

Co-design: Collaborate with domain experts and key stakeholders to co-design AI systems that provide meaningful support. (E.g., [CHI'25])

I’m always happy to chat about my work or share my experience navigating different research fields. Feel free to reach out!