My experience working in three countries- in schools, hospitals, family homes, non-profits, and in the tech industry- has influenced my research approach.
I’ve worked as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), in Washington State, New Zealand, and in Ireland. As an SLP, I’ve worked with both children and adults, from age 2 up to age 80+. I especially enjoy working with people who require Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems (AAC).
After practicing as a clinical SLP for many years, I began working in the tech industry. First, as an AAC specialist and education team lead for the Swedish eye control and eye tracking company, Tobii Technology. I’ve also worked as a senior learning and development strategist at Microsoft, on their accessibility team, and as a senior instructional designer in the software development team at Tableau.
My experiences working in so many different environments allows me to tie my research to practical outcomes. I can relate my research to both the clinical/therapeutic environment as well as technology design, development, and education. As a PhD candidate in the Information School at the University of Washington, I’m able to incorporate my diverse background into a wide variety of research projects. My focus is on human-computer interaction (HCI) and how technology can be designed to improve communication.
My goal with all of my research is to ensure that the research is practical and can positively influence people’s lives.
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Erin Beneteau
PhD Candidate, Information School, University of Washington