Siebel Center for Design

Research and Practice Scholars

The Siebel Center for Design (SCD) offers students unique opportunities to grow as Research and Practice Scholars. Scholars contribute to projects that advance human-centered design through both research and educational practice while developing the knowledge, skills, and professional experiences needed for careers in academia, industry, nonprofit organizations, and the public sector.

To date, more than thirty SCD Scholars have been part of SCD. Many have gone on to become faculty members, education leaders, and professionals across industry and nonprofit organizations. Their experiences at SCD have provided a strong foundation for their careers and strengthened their ability to advance human-centered design in diverse professional contexts.

Research Scholars

Research Scholars contribute to studies that investigate the teaching, learning, and impact of human-centered design. Through hands-on engagement in research projects, they learn how to:

  • Conduct literature reviews that ground their work in existing knowledge.

  • Collect, code, and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.

  • Present research findings at local, national, and international conferences.

  • Write manuscripts and contribute to scholarly publications.

If you are interested in becoming an SCD research scholar, check out SCD’s Research page, then complete the following interest form.

Taylor Parks presenting SCD’s Human-Centered Engineering work at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) 2026 conference.

Weronika Kaczmarczyk-Smith presenting SCD’s Human-Centered Design in Liberal Arts and Social Sciences work at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) 2026 conference.

Practice Scholars

Practice Scholars help bring human-centered design to life through educational programs and community engagement. They gain experience by:

  • Supporting the planning and facilitation of SCD's human-centered design courses.

  • Designing and delivering workshops for students.

  • Developing curricula, learning activities, and instructional resources.

  • Conducting program evaluations and preparing impact reports that demonstrate the value of SCD's work.

If you are interested in becoming an SCD practice scholar, check out SCD’s Academics and Outreach pages, then complete the following interest form.

Carrie James leading an in-person SHIFT session with education leaders

Alex Pagano leading an in-person Grad Academy session with engineering teaching assistants