Class of 2020 – Irina

As we wrap up our goodbyes to our graduating students of 2020, we’d like to highlight the STIR Lab’s graduating Master’s student, Irina Lediaeva. As Irina prepares to return to her home country of Russia, she took some time to reflect on her experiences in the STIR Lab:

STIR Lab Class of 2020 Master’s Student, Irina Lediaeva

First of all, I want to thank Dr. Pamela Wisniewski for guiding, supporting, and challenging me throughout these years at UCF. I’m further grateful to all the students for accepting me as part of the lab and helping me with challenging situations. I was privileged to be part of this.

The STIR Lab and iUX Academy gave me a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience as a researcher at UCF. Under the mentorship of Dr. Wisniewski, I was able to work not only on research projects but also develop a space vehicle’s user interface for a real-world company. In the past two years, I presented a research poster, gained experience in running interview sessions and analyzing social media data, wrote and submitted two research papers, became a mentor for undergraduate students. It was a transformative experience for me that gave me so many knowledge and skills which I can now apply in my professional endeavors. I am sure that my gained experience in the research lab will help me land a job as a UX researcher in my home country Russia.

Dr. Wisniewski and the STIR Lab wish Irina the best of luck as she begins her professional career. Congratulations to all our graduating students of 2020!

Class of 2020 – Irina