Dianne Pawluk

Dianne Pawluk received a BS degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Alberta in 1989 and a MSC degree in Computing and Information Sciences from Queen’s University in Canada in 1991.  She completed her PhD degree in Engineering Sciences at Harvard University in 1997.  She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University.  She is a recipient of three research grants from the National Science Foundation in developing Assistive Technology for Individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired.  She is currently serving on the program committee for the IEEE Haptic Symposium and previously served on the committee for World Haptics.  Her research in haptics primarily focuses on the development of Assistive Technology for Individuals who are Blind and Visually Impaired both in terms of the development of devices and software methods, the use of haptics in K-12 education, and on understanding Human Mid-level Haptic Processing (i.e. Haptic Perceptual Organization).