JaeWon Kim
PhD Candidate @ UW iSchool

Email:
jaewonk at uw dot edu
Hi! :) I am a 3rd year PhD candidate at the University of Washington Information School, advised by Prof. Alexis Hiniker at the User Empowerment Lab.
My research lies broadly in human-computer interaction (HCI) and social computing. I combine empirical work with design and system-building approaches to envision social technologies for meaningful social connections
, especially with the youth 👯. Specifically, I study ways that social media can center relationship building, drawing inspiration from archetypal platforms like BeReal to community-based spaces like Discord, 3D games, and physical world interactions 🤝.
I am especially passionate about Positech research (centering human flourishing in social technology design) and am open to collaborations aligning with this vision—plus just about any concept in positive psychology ✨. I am also actively exploring topics that align with my broader research, including social AR/VR 🥽, AI-mediated communication, and personal growth.
Outside of research, you can find me singing, daydreaming, and slowly running, biking, and swimming with hopes of a triathlon someday (emphasis on “slowly”).