b1air at uw dot edu | google scholar | twitter | instagram | cv

I plan to be on the academic job market in 2026!

Hello! I’m Blair, a PhD candidate in the department of Human-Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington. I work in the Machine Agency and am advised by Nadya Peek. My work explores machine automation as a creative medium. I study and make tools which support machine automation in unconventional settings. From artists to plant biologists, I build systems with & for domain experts to creatively engage computer-controlled machines, and examine how the use of machines in nontraditional contexts can inform the development of future systems. In this process I am committed to developing open-source hardware and software which seek to enable artistic, scientific, and other creative exploration.

Present

(2020-) PhD Student in Human-Centered Design & Engineering

Past

(2018-2020) Research Associate at UCLA Center for Research in Engineering, Media, & Performance

(2014-2018) Studied physics & math at Pomona College

Future

(??-??) Reach out if you’d like to chat, I genuinely enjoy getting messages!