Research
Project Overview:
My research focuses on Simulated Ecological Environments, a type of CGI, virtual environment, 3D spatial cognitive ecology, and the development of quantitative models representing the intersection of the child’s mental model, the virtual environment and the user interface. I hope to answer questions on how humans perceive, detect and identify objects in the natural world. The work may also contribute to the development of search and navigation tools that support children in independent exploration and intrinsic, deep learning and acts of creation
Overview:
I have a Ph.D. in Information Sciences from the University of Pittsburgh. My major advisor is Dr. Peter Brusilovsky. For the last few years I have been an Adjunct Professor / Visiting Lecturer in the department, teaching User Centered Design (new: Spring 2007), Human Computer Interaction (1052), Human Factors in System Design (1044) and the Introduction to Information Science (0010) classes to undergraduates. I have discovered that I love to teach.
Human Computer Interaction:
Deep knowledge and interest in web based, visual 2D-UIs, and software design and development of dynamic data visualization tools, and real time decision support tools for advanced graphical user interfaces.
Collaborations:
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP )
Ms. Gabi Hughes, Coordinator of the Environmental Education Program, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, is acknowledge for her support, expert educational knowledge, assistance and enthusiasm in all phases of the educational component of this study. ASWP is a premier environmental education organization providing year-round nature and environmental education programming to students, children, families, adults and teachers. I collaborated with the naturalists to model the content of a real world field trip of the real Trillium Trail into a virtual field trip in the Virtual Trillium Trail.
Department of Biological Sciences
I am collaborating with Professor Susan Kalisz and Senior Research Associate Jessica Dunn, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh. In July 2006, we submitted a second proposal to the National Science Foundation, part of that proposal includes using their field data from Trillium Trail to develop an interactive software program for elementary school children. See article >> PDF
Personalized Adaptive Web Systems Lab (PAWS)
I am a member of the research group and interested in the causal relationship of a child’s mental model profile and learning outcomes in virtual environments and high fidelity systems.
The Sara Fine Institute (SFI), School of Information Sciences
The Institute is dedicated to examining the ways technology impacts interpersonal communications and relationships with family, friends, professional colleagues, governing bodies, health care providers, and educational institutions.
Research Statement:
The main direction of this research is theoretical and firmly framed in the domain of human-computer interaction. The current PhD investigation, Simulated Ecological Environments for Education (SEEE), is into 3D user-interfaces and the interplay of virtual environments, simulations, content, the mental model of the user and the search, navigation, augmentation, and annotation possibilities of the user-interface. Quantitative and causal models are used to explain the role that ecological context has in the dynamic interaction with cognitive models, and is at the core of this research program. This is an aggressive research program that requires collaboration between computer scientists, psychologists, educators and biologists. The dissertation research aim is to use qualitative data fitting techniques to investigate the design parameter interaction with mental models and thus evaluate the SEEE Tripartite Model.
Generating Ecological Ecologies from Ecological Data Sets for Virtual Environments Project:
This work has pioneered new computer science virtual ecology generation processes and approaches. The design and development of interest are realistic terrain modeling, and plant modeling in a statistically accurate and automatic process of nature, trees, plants and flowers. The project has collaborated with Professor Susan Kalisz and Senior Research Associate Jessica Dunn, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh. The future of the research will build on the framework and can represent different kinds of front-ends for simulations. Simulations that represent different scenarios of future realities based on decision support systems and social-environmental analysis. The capability to see the results of different parameters in a high fidelity computer graphics model will be a very powerful decision support system. Unlike the more abstract visualizations, these types of visualizations will empower policy makers to understand the environmental impacts of choices. Public outreach is an important part of this research and envisioned to be a critical component of this work.
The Virtual Trillium Trail Project: (PDF)
The Virtual Trillium Trail is a Simulated Ecological Environment for Education created by Maria C.R. Harrington as part of her dissertation research (2003-2008) in Information Science at the University of Pittsburgh. This research will contribute to the development of search and navigation tools that support children in independent exploration and intrinsic, deep learning and acts of creation. The project has collaborated with Ms. Gabi Hughes, Environmental Educator who coordinates the Fox Chapel Area School District environmental program, and other Naturalists from the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, headquartered at Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve and third, fourth and fifth grade students, and with Professor Susan Kalisz and Senior Research Associate Jessica Dunn, Department of Biological Sciences, at the University of Pittsburgh. It is a unique data simulation and visualization of Dr. Kalisz’s biological plot study data, unlike any other virtual world for education. Furthermore, the location of the Trillium Trail Wildflower Reserve is the site for many science and ecology elementary school field-trips, created and lead by the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. The combination of the biological data (from 1994 to the present), and the proven educational approaches (from 1968, Beulah Frey, Ruth Scott and Ruth Boyles) offered an ideal and successful real world learning experience to model and to base a computer simulation for research on the usability of virtual worlds and to better understand patterns of intrinsic learning found in informal settings.
Study One >>
A comparison of real and virtual field trip learning activity, in-situ, and educational, emotional and creative outcomes, was conducted in May 2007.
Call for Volunteers Study Two >>
Does your child enjoy learning about nature, using computers and making art
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS FLYER HERE >>
The Virtual Pittsburgh Project "The Wild Point" (PDF)
The Wild Point is a Virtual World that represents a “best guess” on the terrain and the plant locations; it is not a simulation or data visualization. It could represent how the area appeared a long time ago, before European settlement, or how it could look if returned to the wild. Some geographical and ecological features that are most striking are the flood plains in the valleys, because today they are covered with houses and roads and we can not see the natural form of the land and the ecology it could support. I created this virtual world in hope that it will make the public wonder about the beauty and the complexity of nature all around us, and to help us to look at and see the world differently, more beautifully.
GRANTS & AWARDS
National Science Foundation, 2006:
Collaborated with Professor Susan Kalisz and Senior Research Associate Jessica Dunn, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh. In July 2006, they submitted a second proposal, and a part of that proposal included using their field data from Trillium Trail to develop an interactive software program for elementary school children and future development of the user-interface and system architecture of the SEEE system.
Celebration of Innovation, 2006:
University of Pittsburgh, Office of the Provost and the Office of Technology Management. An event recognizing innovative and creative individuals whose research is resulting in intellectual property for licensing and start-ups. Only about 100 of such individuals were invited to this reception.
NSF Travel Grant Award 2006:
Travel grant to ACM Designing Interactive Systems (DIS) Conference, Pennsylvania State College, State College, PA
The 30th Annual Honors Convocation 2006:
University of Pittsburgh. Honored as one of the Outstanding Students of the University.
ESRI GIS Mapping and Software Travel Grant Award 2005:
Travel grant to the Conference on Spatial Information Theory (COSIT).
Allen Kent Award. School of Information Sciences, University of Pittsburgh. 2005:
The award is presented annually to a graduate student who makes an outstanding contribution to the program.
Teaching Fellow, School of Information Sciences. University of Pittsburgh. 2003-Present: A competitive and full scholarship with stipend for PhD research and study. Visiting Lecturer and Adjunct Professor appointments over the summer terms.
Planning and Innovation Grant, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, MA. 1997.
Developed a web-based framework for online, multimedia course material delivery of curriculum. Solution was generalized and shared with other faculty in the college.
IBM Grant for Education and Innovation Award, Rotman School, MBA Program, University of Toronto, 1991-1992.
Developed system that allowed for custom video-clip editing and augmentation used to enhance student learning in conflict management, meeting management, leadership and communication skills. Played key role in securing second stage funding.
ACADEMIC SERVICE
• ACM SIGGRAPH 2007 – Volunteer to review papers
• Volunteer for SIS I-Fest – A school fair for prospective students, software posters, software demos, and entertainment Gamming night
• Volunteered for SIS Alumni Network to review resumes and provided interview coaching
