Katherine (Katie) Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Rice University in the Human-Computer Interaction & Human Factors (HCIHF) research interest group. She is currently in her sixth year of graduate studies (fourth year at Rice) in the Human-Automation Collaboration (HAC) Lab led by Dr. Jing Chen. Katie received her B.A. in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences with a minor in Engineering Design and Neuroscience from Rice in 2020, and her M.S. in Psychology with a certificate in Modeling and Simulation Engineering from Old Dominion University in 2022. Katie holds the positions of Vice President of Community Engagement of the Graduate Student Association, Social Chair of PsycGSA, Social/Outreach Coordinator of Rice University HFES Student Chapter, and Lab Manager of the HAC Lab. Her research interests include AI capabilities, flood warnings, and cybersecurity, to name a few. Outside of the lab, Katie enjoys spending her time at the gym, with friends and family, in Costco, with foster cats, and wrapped up on the couch with a good show or book.
Katie is currently on the job market!
Expected graduation: Spring 2026