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Tzu-Sheng Kuo, Brad Myers, Anika Jain
From CHI First-timer to Perfect Attendance
HCII Continues to Find Its Community at CHI Conference
The Human-Computer Interaction Institute (HCII) community participates in dozens of smaller, subject-focused conferences throughout the year, but for many of our researchers, the annual CHI conference provides the biggest and best opportunity to connect with interdisciplinary colleagues from around the world.
From first-time attendees finding their research passions to seasoned conference veterans maintaining their long-standing connections, CHI 2025 was the place to meet and celebrate the vibrant and evolving human-computer interaction field. More than 5,000 researchers, practitioners, and students attended the CHI conference, officially known as the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI), from April 26 to May 1, 2025, in Yokohama, Japan.
An energizing experience
For Anika Jain, a master's student in Human-Computer Interaction (MHCI 2025) who is passionate about accessibility and inclusive design, CHI 2025 marked an exciting first foray into the world of academic conferences. While initially overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the event, Jain adjusted quickly.
"The environment was energizing,” said Jain. “Beyond the formal sessions, I found the open panels and informal conversations on the application of emerging technologies in accessible design to be some of the most thought-provoking discussions. CHI was filled with thoughtful dialogue, innovative work, and meaningful connections with researchers from around the world who are pushing the boundaries of accessible HCI, especially work supporting d/Deaf, hard of hearing, and neurodiverse communities.”
Jain also had the honor of presenting at CHI 2025, and said the experience has only deepened her desire to pursue impactful work in this vital space after graduation.
Giving back to the community
HCI Ph.D. student Tzu-Sheng Kuo continued his impressive streak as a five-time ACM conference student volunteer (SV). Kuo has now served as an SV for the Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology (UIST 2021), CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2022), Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work & Social Computing (CSCW 2022), Designing Interactive Systems Conference (DIS 2023), and most recently SV co-chair at CHI 2025.
“The SV role gives students the opportunity to work alongside with peers and connect with people from all over the world,” said Kuo. “SVing is a great way to experience a conference, make meaningful connections and give back to the community. I see the HCI community as my research home, and I’m passionate about helping it grow and thrive!”
Kuo has a 2-year term as CHI SV co-chair, which means he will bring his 2025 leadership experience to the same role at CHI 2026 in Barcelona, Spain.
Being an SV co-chair for a major conference of this scale is rewarding, but also a lot of work before, during and after the event. Kuo did step away from those SV duties to present his research at CHI 2025, including the papers “PolicyCraft” and “Gig2Gether,” which won a Best Paper Honorable Mention Award.
Collecting Every Nametag
HCII Geschke Director and Professor Brad Myers is a CHI veteran and has a thorough collection of CHI badges and ribbons in his office to prove it. Myers has attended every conference since the first Human-Factors in Computer Systems conference was held in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 1982. ACM would change the conference name to CHI the following year when it was hosted in Boston in 1983.
“CHI is one of the largest general conferences where the relevant topics are continually changing, so there are always a lot of interesting papers. Actually, there are so many interesting things to see that it’s impossible to attend them all,” said Myers.
For many in the HCII, CHI is part conference and part reunion – a great occasion to get together with research colleagues and program alumni at least once per year. This year, the HCII was proud to host 200 friends for an event with live music and great food. Planning an off-site event in another country is no easy task. Many thanks to HCII faculty David Lindlbauer and Hirokazu Shirado, and staff member Carolyn Buzzelli-Stumpf, for their coordination as the main party organizers, and Nik Martelaro and Yi Fei Cheng for their great on-site support in Japan.
Looking ahead to CHI 2027
Myers noted that despite the growth of more specialized conferences, the broader HCI community continues to view CHI as the preeminent gathering for the field. ACM President Yannis Ioannidis was even in attendance this year, a true testament to CHI’s enduring relevance.
After the CHI community gathers in Barcelona for CHI 2026, it will return to southwest Pennsylvania for the first time since 1999. We are excited to learn that CHI 2027 is set to be hosted in Pittsburgh, PA.
For a recap of CMU work at the CHI 2025 conference, visit the HCII's overview story CMU at CHI 2025 or the official ACM program.
