After a few esoteric posts, I would like to take a small step back and clarify what I am writing about and who I hope to connect with.
First, a little background (which I will eventually put into an “about” page). I am from Wyoming, but am currently living in India, where I have been teaching psychology for two years at the Mahindra United World College (UWC) of India - a international secondary school in rural Maharashtra, about an hour outside of Pune, and about 4 hours from Mumbai. I am a graduate of the Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong (2002) and Duke University (2006), where I double majored in Electrical Engineering and Psychology, and I have recently enrolled in a PhD program in cognitive science at Teachers College, Columbia University, where I will study more closely the theoretical cognitive basis of design and instructive interaction with Barbara Tversky in the department of Human Development. I hope to bridge engineering and design through psychology, with particular emphasis on the nature of effective communication.
So this gives Cognitive Lens three primary audiences: engineers, designers, and psychologists (particularly of the cognitive persuasion). A group I also hope to connect with more generally are those undertaking research degrees of all sorts - including undergraduates considering grad school, Masters students working their way through deeper coursework, and Doctorate students engaging in research at the deepest levels. While I will not make this a chronicle of my school life, I certainly hope to share the lessons I learn while going through the (five-year) process.
Whether or not you fit neatly into the categories of people I’ve mentioned, I do hope that you will something interesting here. There are not enough forums for connecting academia with the outside world, and I refuse to be isolated in the Ivory Tower - hence my interest in cognitive science, a field that very quickly translates into useful applications in the real world.
My engineering side is quite “techie”, and while I can’t afford them, I try to keep up on the latest gadgets through sites like Gizmodo and Yanko Design. My design side tends toward interactive and experience design - I want to facilitate peoples engagement in a variety of experiences, and help develop more effective tools of all sorts. My psychology interests are primarily cognitive and social, although I am also fascinated by neuroscience.
Across all of these disciplines, I maintain a deep commitment to sustainable development in all its guises, from the green movement to appropriate technology to grassroot social activism. I admire the UWC ideals and have been powerfully shaped by my involvement with the movement as a student, teacher, and Indian National Committee member.
I will draw from all of these experiences when writing, and I hope that they will create connections with others from a variety of backgrounds. I hope you will find something interesting here, and maybe come across ideas and perspectives that enhance whatever it is that you want to do.