Rate My Professor Lian Loke

Associate Professor Lian Loke serves in the Sydney School of Architecture, Design and Planning at the University of Sydney, where she holds the position of Associate Professor in Design and Computation. Her research centers on human-computer interaction, with a particular emphasis on movement-based interaction design, soma-based design, embodied approaches, aesthetics of interaction, somatic practices, wearable technology, interactive art, and participatory design. She has made substantial contributions to these areas through highly cited publications, including 'Moving and making strange: An embodied approach to movement-based interaction design' (2013, 335 citations), 'Embracing first-person perspectives in soma-based design' (2018, 222 citations), 'Toolkits, cards and games – a review of analogue tools for collaborative ideation' (2021, 189 citations), 'Understanding movement for interaction design: frameworks and approaches' (2007, 146 citations), 'The somatic turn in human-computer interaction' (2018, 134 citations), 'Labanotation for design of movement-based interaction' (2005, 122 citations), and 'Body maps: A generative tool for soma-based design' (2022, 116 citations). Loke co-edited the book 'Experience as Skill: The Somatic Turn in Human-Computer Interaction' in 2018, further advancing the somatic perspective in the field.

Loke's career includes previous leadership as Head of Design at the University of Sydney Design school and affiliations with the University of Technology Sydney. She contributes to key research initiatives such as the Urban Interfaces Lab, Affective Interactions Lab, and projects like developing accessible playgrounds for children with vision impairment, SHE Robots showcasing female roboticists, and explorations of robotics and society. Previously, she served as Director of the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts program. Her scholarship has accumulated over 2,400 citations, influencing embodied design practices, contemplative HCI research, and trauma-informed design. Loke teaches design thinking and interaction design, fostering somatic and first-person perspectives in student projects within the Design Lab.